The Art of The Unexpected
by RMB27
Summary: Elyse has always done what was expected of her. Her older brother, Levi, an aloof man, isn't as obedient. Her father and him don't get along, hence why Elyse, only sixteen, is going to be married to a man twice her age in order to keep her father's company within the family. But, she decides to have one night of rebellion before she's married; her life changes, drastically.
1. Chapter 1

A:N/ So, I'm still obsessed with Erwin Smith, so here's a story to fill a void in my life LOL. The only thing that belongs to me is the original character.

* * *

Elyse stared at the clock that hung on the pristine white wall in her father's pristine white office with her pristine manicured hands scraping against the pristine white leather couch cushion. She inhaled and exhaled as she sat, shoulders up and hand folded properly on her lap after scraping the pristine leather.

 _Pristine. Everything is so pristine._

She hoped the scratching didn't her nails. Or maybe she does.

Well, dear old daddy wouldn't notice, hopefully.

Speaking of dear old daddy, the man was reading the papers in front of him like it was his damn daily newspaper.

Not her marriage contract to the man who was his age.

"Elyse, once you marry Mr. Garnier, you will need to quit doing trolling up and down the stage. Once you're married, you will need to enter a more domestic lifestyle. Your fluff years of dance are over." Her father's solemn voice echoed against the white walls that, she was pretty sure, were closing in on her.

She felt her heart break with the command. Dancing was what she was proud of, what she was good at. She had been dancing since she was four. Levi had made sure she was in a class she wanted, and it had taken hours to convince her father until he begrudgingly agreed for her to have an "extracurricular" activity.

"Yes, Father." Elyse's light voice replied, softly. She had acting classes, too. At least they were working in her favor right now.

Her father didn't respond as he scanned the pages of the contract that held her life with complete nonchalance.

After a moment, he placed the papers down and folded his hands on his pristine white office table. His narrowed grey eyes studied her own large, docile hazel ones and he held large yet wrinkly hand up for her to take.

Elyse didn't hesitate as she got up, mannerly, and took the hand offered to her with her own soft hand.

He looked up at her and a small practiced smile graced his aging features. Her father was undoubtedly a once handsome man, but years of hard work and life had beaten his face, leaving him to look hard and stern. He had brilliant eyes, still. Levi had inherited those eyes.

"You are making me very proud, Elyse. This will keep the family business in the family. I wouldn't have this done if that good-for-nothing—"

"Father, please. The situation is now fixed." Elyse pleaded with her father, urging him to continue without berating one of the most loved people in her life.

" _Your_ brother decided to choose an unwise path in life. _You_ , my dear, have saved our family once more." Her father finished, proudly patting her hand in his.

He frowned once he brought her hand up to his eyes to inspect something that suddenly displeased him.

"Also, don't forget to get a manicure, dear."

* * *

Elyse bowed her head in apology as she accidently bumped into someone as she walked towards a café in downtown Manhattan.

She entered the aromatic café and inhaled the scent of coffee, with a warm sigh. Just what she needed in this cold weather. Scanning the tables, her eyes shone bright once she saw her brother waiting for her in their usual booth.

He was reading a newspaper in French and Elyse couldn't help but roll her eyes. Could he be any more pretentious?

Oh, yes, there's his cashmere jacket and scarf properly folded on the chair reserved for her.

She walked up to the table, and she moved his things, gingerly, to the bay window on their right.

"You need to stop reading French newspapers in New York City, mon frère aîné." Elyse teased, as she settled down in her seat, removing the layers that warmed her.

"Then, don't encourage it by calling me older brother in French, Ely." Levi retorted, his eyes not leaving the newspaper.

A waitress came to their table to take her order, judging by the already hot coffee cup in front her brother.

Elyse placed her order with a grateful smile and thanks. The waitress's appreciative glance of her brother didn't go unnoticed.

Elyse was even more amused once her order came around just as quickly, and the waitress was still staring at her brother with a flush to her cheeks.

"Will that be all for the two of you?" The waitress asked, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

"That will be all for me. Thank you." Elyse said, warmly, already pitying the waitress. She kicked her brother's shin, lightly, to get his attention.

He glanced up, a little miffed at being interrupted from his reading, "Yes, Ely?"

Elyse motioned to the waitress with her cup of tea, "Our waitress was asking if you need anything else."

Levi turned his attention to the waitress, "No, that'll be all. Thank you." He turned back to the newspaper in his hand and Elyse wanted to roll the newspaper and hit his half-French head with it.

"I noticed that you have a slight accent and that he's reading a French newspaper. Are you guys from France?" The waitress asked, curiously, and Elyse could tell she wanted to have more attention from her brother.

Poor girl.

"Yes, we were born there and had our childhood there, but our father—"

"Don't you have other tables to wait upon?" Levi's sharp voice interrupted his sister's storytelling. The waitress, who seemed very into Elyse's tale, stood up straight and flushed red. With a quick apology, she left to wait on other tables.

Elyse, annoyed, turned to her brother, who had finally placed his newspaper down to glare at his sister.

"You didn't have to be so rude." Elyse scolded, frowning.

"You shouldn't be telling strangers our life story." Levi snorted back, picking up his cup of coffee.

Elyse rolled her eyes, and a small laugh chuckle escaped her lips in affectionate amusement. Levi gave a small smile back.

"You better tip her well. Poor girl kept staring at you. That's maybe why she wanted to know our _life story_." Elyse sighed, taking a sip of her own tea.

It was Levi's turn to roll his eyes at his sister's compassion.

With a sigh, he placed down his cup and folded his hands in front of him. Elyse couldn't help but think of how her father just did that moments earlier.

Ah, yes, here comes the memory of having to marry at the innocent age of sixteen.

"Sometimes, I forget you're only sixteen. You are precocious at that age, Ely. It's like talking to someone of my age. I mean, you're in fucking Julliard for God's sake." Levi stated, a sense of wistfulness in his voice that only she could detect.

"Feeling old, brother?" Elyse teased, one eyebrow raised. She placed her elbow on the table and her head on her hand and playfully tilted her head towards her bother.

"More like useless. The older you get; Father decides to keep using you." Levi stated, his tone getting darker.

Elyse immediately cringed and frowned. She removed her elbow off the table and folded her hands on her lap, playing nervously with her fingers.

"Levi…don't say that. Father loves, he doesn't use." Elyse weakly defended.

Levi snorted, "The man is incapable of love. Especially when mother-" Levi immediately stopped himself, his hands gripping his cup.

"I'm sorry, Ely. I forgot myself." He apologized, shaking his head in apology.

Elyse simply offered a small smile of understanding.

"He talked to me about how he set up a marriage with one of his business partners. Of course, I told the old geezer that he's out of his damn mind if he thinks you're going to agree with it. I mean, that should be the line, Elyse." Levi said, pressing one of his hands on his temples to massage them.

Elyse froze.

"Did you meet with him today?" Levi asked, not missing a beat from his rant. His gaze finally turned towards her.

"…No, I was about to after this." Elyse lied, easily, her eyes wide for effect. As if she heard this news for the first time.

Levi nodded, approvingly. "Good, don't go today. Don't go ever, just go back to your dorms. How about this, I have a friend who's coming to visit from Germany. Father and his father actually go way back and I went to Uni with him back in Germany. We'll have dinner at my place. I'll see you then?"

Elyse still smiled her practiced smile and nodded, with fake enthusiasm.

* * *

Her brother walked her back to her dorms at Julliard, and she gave a kiss on his cheek as goodbye with a promise of seeing him later.

She entered her dorm room and noticed that her roommate was out, which gave her a room to herself for once throughout the whole day.

Placing her stuff down, gently, and sitting down on her bed, Elyse finally let go of the breath she had been holding the moment her father told her the news.

With that breath, tears rolled down her face and she found that she couldn't stop them from flowing.

Her brother didn't know that she had already accepted, and she felt horrible for lying to her brother. But, he couldn't know, not until it's close to happening. She didn't even know when it was happening, technically. She had just signed the papers where her father told her to sign.

She was the good child. The good girl her father deserved after what she had done to him.

Levi wouldn't understand. He'd be angry at her. Telling her that she was throwing her life away.

But, he knew why she did the things she did for their father. He was almost close to saying it in the café. That's why whenever Elyse made her decision about accepting what her father wanted, Levi would know he was fighting a lost cause.

This wasn't any different.

Coming down from her sobbing, Elyse walked to the bathroom to clean her face and to prepare herself for the dinner she was going to have with her brother and his friend.

Maybe for the last time.

* * *

She apologized as she bumped into another person in the train. Geez, what was up with her and bumping into everyone today.

"It's quite okay." A baritone voice caught her off-guard as she was still looking down, apologizing.

Elyse looked up and she found herself staring into gorgeous blue eyes. She forgot that the train doors were closing.

"Look out!" The man she had bumped into with the gorgeous blue eyes yelled at her as he grabbed her towards him inside the train.

The impact had her tumbling into his arms as his arm shot out to grab the pole next to him. Elyse found that the pleasantly attractive man had a pleasantly hard body.

She flushed and pushed herself away from him and apologized, shyly.

"Thank you. I'm so clumsy sometimes." Elyse stated, with a small laugh. The man smiled with his perfect white teeth and chuckled, a throaty one that had Elyse fascinated.

"It happens to all of us." The man assured her, his blue eyes sparkling. Elyse studied the man with curiosity. He was very handsome. He had blonde hair neatly parted and gelled into what she called The Businessman hair. Blue eyes that reminded of the one time she visited the beach with her brother in California when she was awestricken by how _blue_ the water had been compared to the beaches in the Tri-State area. He was wearing a navy blue business suit that just complimented his eyes even more with a red tie to complete the ensemble. He was very tall compared to the men she was used to seeing. I mean, her brother was pretty short and she had remembered how miffed he had been when she hit her growth spurt.

But, the man before her didn't just hold her attention because he was tall and handsome. There was plenty of men who were like that in New York City.

This man exuded something that had her smiling almost _flirtatiously_ at him.

She couldn't help but feel pleased when he returned the smile with one of his own dimpled smiles that accentuated those sharp cheekbones of his.

"May I have the name of my savior?" Elyse found herself asking, was that her _voice_? When did she get so confident? She could feel her inner self wanting to run away screaming at how stupid she was being.

"Erwin. Erwin Smith." The man replied, his voice still sounding so utterly beautiful in her ears.

"Erwin," Elyse loved how his name rolled off of her lips, "Interesting name. You don't hear it often here."

Erwin chuckled, "Here? Excuse my forwardness, but your accent doesn't seem so New York either."

Elyse smiled at his contagious teasing, "Your forwardness does indeed need to be excused. I am actually from New York…for seven years now."

Erwin had laughed at that, his laughter booming and clear. Elyse loved the rush of power within her. She had made this gorgeous man laugh. Her, Elyse Rose.

"Well, then. Seven years does seem enough for me to put my foot in my mouth."

"Foot in your mouth? You don't hear that every day, either. Where are you from? Mars?"

"You wound me, Miss…?"

"Smooth, trying to get my name with your weird lingo."

"I try, Miss…?"

Elyse couldn't help but laugh even more at this man's confidence. Everything about him was contagious. His humor, wit, and mannerisms were definitely one in a million. She wasn't wrong when she said that there was something different about him.

She decided to entertain him more.

"It's Elyse. My name is Elyse."

"Elyse."

The way he said her name, she knew she was doomed.

* * *

They talked in the train for a very long time, and Elyse noticed a young brother and sister entering the train amidst the interesting and entertaining conversation she was having with Erwin.

"Oh my God!" Elyse suddenly gasped, interrupting Erwin in the middle of their conversation.

"What is it?" Erwin asked, alarmed, placing a protective hand on her back while looking around.

Elyse wanted to melt right then and there, but there were more important matters.

"I need to get off on the next stop. I have plans with someone. Geez, he's going to kill me!" Elyse gasped, trying to find her phone in her purse.

She didn't notice when Erwin's hand left the small of her back, hesitantly.

"Oh, yes, I understand." Erwin stated, softly.

Elyse looked up once she got her phone and smiled, "It was very nice meeting you, Erwin. I do hope you enjoy New York, Mr. Foreign Name."

Erwin smiled back, but the smile didn't reach his eyes like before much to Elyse's slight disappointment, "And it was nice meeting you, too, Miss Elyse."

Elyse clutched her phone. It would be easy to take his number and exchange hers in return, but it wouldn't be right.

It was nice to have attention from someone like him and it was flattering, really. But, it could only last so long.

She'll just say this was her bachelorette party in her own little way.

The train came to a stop, and Elyse got up and walked towards the closed doors.

When they opened, she didn't bother to turn around.

* * *

"I mean, I know _I_ was late, but your friend must really not know New York City." Elyse said, amused, watching as her brother paced his living room in his penthouse suite.

"He's from Germany, Elyse. He only goes here when there's meetings for him to attend and even then, he has drivers to take him around." Levi groused, clutching his wine glass.

"You're just feeling terrible because you know you should've at least picked him up from the airport, you slacker." Elyse said, more amused at her brother's attitude.

Levi turned to glare at his sister and was about to say something until his door buzzed. He got up after muttering a, "Finally," under his breath.

Elyse sighed at her brother and would've helped greet his guest, but she was already settled on her favorite spot on the comfy couch with a secret wine glass she managed to procure under her brother's distracted mind.

She heard voices from down the hall and she sighed as she slowly sat up and went back to thinking about hiding the wine glass that she was already missing. She was slightly sad after leaving that beautiful man, Erwin, on the train.

Plus, she was getting married. Technically, she was an adult in some twisted way. So, she deserved the red wine.

"…And this is the living room. My sister is actually here tonight. I wanted you to meet her since you wouldn't stop bothering me about her." Levi's voice got closer.

Elyse couldn't help but smile at that. She remembered Levi mentioning that friend back in his travels that wouldn't stop asking about her.

"Here she is." Levi stated.

Elyse looked up with a welcoming smile, not even caring anymore about hiding the wine glass in her hand.

She dropped the glass in hand once she saw her brother's visitor.

"Elyse, this is my German friend-"

"Erwin."

* * *

A:N/ Chapter one is here. Chapter two will be out in a jiffy.


	2. Chapter 2

A:N/ Chapter Two is here. Like I said, in a jiffy!

Nothing belongs to me. Except Elyse.

* * *

Levi raised an eyebrow at his sister and immediately Elyse knew she was screwed.

"I would question how you guys know each other already, but it seems that my underage sister spilt wine all over my damn couch." Levi hissed the last part, walking towards his sister and grabbing the empty wine glass off the couch.

Overlooking the mess, Levi sighed and placed the empty glass on the table, realizing that the other people in his house haven't talked since.

"I'm going to go and grab a wet rag to clean up the mess, so since you guys seem to know each other already, which I will question later on, have a conversation." Levi stated, leaving the room.

Elyse got up, quickly, realizing that she was all alone now with the man that had been occupying her thoughts. She decided to make herself busy, grabbing the dirty pillows and casting them aside.

She made a beeline for the empty glass, but she stopped once she saw Erwin's fingers already gripping the stem of it.

Forced to look up, Elyse gazed at the handsome man who was smiling at her, amused.

"Underage, huh? I knew Levi had a sister, but he failed to mention her name and how old she was. Not to mention, how stunning." Erwin stated the last part in a hushed whisper.

Elyse was taken aback by his forwardness, but she found herself wanting to banter back with her own quick wit.

She decided best not to once her brother walked back in with his insufferable cleaning supplies.

"Elyse, spray it down. Erwin, wipe it after the spraying." Levi ordered his guests, casually.

Elyse didn't miss the smile sent her way as she obeyed her brother, trying to hide the fact that her face was flushed.

"So, this is your precious sister, Levi?" Erwin asked, while doing his part of the cleaning.

Levi merely grunted his, "yes", as he grabbed the stained cushions after the cleaning.

"Well, I've had the pleasure of meeting her on the train earlier. She said she had plans and left." Erwin stated, his eyes holding a sense of amused secrecy.

Elyse stared at him before gracing him with a small smile.

"Turns out that we both have the same plans then, Mr. Foreign Name." Elyse teased, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach.

Levi didn't seem to be bothered by his sister's weird inside joke with his friend as he simply sighed after placing the cushions aside.

"Yes, and both of you who are usually early for events happen to be both late also for the first time in your lives." Levi grumbled, still annoyed that his furniture was ruined.

"Elyse, please be careful with red wine next time. How many glasses did you have?" Levi asked, turning his attention back to his sister.

"One, I swear it." Elyse promised, her hazel eyes begging her brother to believe her.

Levi smiled, "Well, it'll be two or three once we start dinner. Father isn't here to stop you."

Elyse couldn't help but smile her thanks back at her brother. No matter how many times he seemed to not be paying attention, she's pretty sure he noticed how slightly down she had been. Or maybe, she just couldn't hide her puffy eyes well.

* * *

Elyse couldn't stop laughing at her brother's aggressive attitude over Erwin's story when Levi and him were students in Germany.

"Fuck you, Erwin. You were the one who said to eat the shit on the table, and I did. And, I was right. It was literal shit." Levi stated, pointing his fork accusingly at Erwin, who simply took another sip of his coffee.

Elyse stared on, her body feeling light and free. She got why people drank alcohol when they were down. She felt that everything was funny and that her brother's usual taciturn attitude was pretty hilarious at this point.

Erwin looked at the clock behind the siblings and frowned, "It's almost midnight. Will you be sleeping here, Elyse?"

Elyse, alarmed, whipped around and noticed the time, her vision a little bit dizzying. "Oh no! I have an early class tomorrow. I need to get back to my dorm."

She got up, immediately, and started to make her way to her jacket and scarf. Levi, who's head was currently resting in the crook of his arm on the table, groaned at her sudden movement.

Elyse hastily put her jacket on and scarf and began to unsteadily make her way to the dining room in order to say goodbye, taking a deep breath at a time.

A deep chuckle from behind her sounded and she jumped a little when she felt a large hand grab her elbow to steady her. She turned around and noticed Erwin, who was also in his coat, scarf, and leather gloves.

"Miss Elyse, you definitely need someone to take you home." Erwin stated, slightly amused and a little serious.

"Let Erwin drive you back to your dorm, Elyse. The bastard actually rented a damn car in this city which also made him fucking _late_. Plus, he is definitely sober." Levi's voice boomed from his dining room.

Elyse sighed at her brother's drunken state, but she gave Erwin a small smile and nodded, "That's very nice of you, Erwin. Let me say goodbye to my brother first."

She walked towards her brother who groaned as he lifted his head up, hesitantly. He gave her a small wave, and Elyse knocked his hand down in order to give him a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, brother. I'll see you at Auntie's house next week." Elyse said, softly, careful to not irritate her brother's drunken headache.

Levi gave her a slight smile, rare when he's sober, "Yes, I'll see you next week. I would say be good, but you always are, brat."

Elyse laughed, lightly, giving her brother a light, playful punch on his shoulder.

"I'll see you in two days, Levi. Unless you'll need me tomorrow to help you with what is going to be a nasty hangover." Erwin said from behind them.

Levi shot up a middle finger in response, "I'll see you in two days, asshole. Make sure my sister gets home safely."

Erwin chuckled and gave his promise. Elyse couldn't help but notice that he stared at her while he was making the promise to her brother.

"Well, shall we?" Erwin asked her, offering a leather-covered hand towards her.

Elyse placed her petite hand in his and it fit perfectly, a spark running throughout her body at the realization.

She didn't dare look up at him. He was staring at her enough for the both of them.

* * *

"Your brother mentioned you were a dancer. I was quite impressed with what he told me. Said you had started at the mere age of four." Erwin said, his voice catching her from her thoughts as she nervously sat in the car.

It had to be a nice car too. The one black car that her father always sent for her whenever she would see him. It was the only luxury she enjoyed before she stepped in that _pristine_ office.

Elyse felt herself relax a little at the easy offering of conversation Erwin offered.

"I did. I was inspired by the ballerinas I watched when our aunt took us the opera in Paris. She was a ballet teacher there, and she took care of my brother and I whenever she could. Once she saw that I was interested, she began to teach me alongside the other ballerinas. It was…the best childhood." Elyse said, wistfully.

"When did your family leave France? I remember your brother mentioning it was a weird change for the both of you." Erwin asked, politely, his eyes never leaving the road, something Elyse was thankful for.

"We left when my father decided that he wanted his main company to be here in New York City. My brother was very against it, but back then, he didn't have much of a choice. Once he was applying for college, my brother went back to Europe. He truly didn't feel home here…" Elyse trailed off, guiltily, "Sometimes, I feel bad. I feel like he's here only because of me."

Suddenly realizing who she was talking to, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"E-excuse me, I didn't mean to say that. I must be a bit tipsy." Elyse tried to cover up her slip-up with a nervous giggle.

Erwin didn't say anything and she noticed that he didn't even seem to be thrown off by what she said.

"Is this where your school is?" Erwin asked, finally, parking the car in a spot. Elyse looked up and realized that they were already next to her dorm. She turned to him and smiled to thank him, but she noticed that he was unbuckling his seatbelt also.

Before she could say anything else, he got out of the car to go to her side in swift strides with his long legs. He opened the door before she could even unbuckle her own seatbelt. Flashing her a smile, Erwin even offered his hand once more so she could grab it in order to step around the snow.

"Weird foreign name and weird foreign matter, Erwin. You definitely don't belong here." Elyse teased, lightly. Erwin chuckled, still helping her around the snow. Once he was sure that she could walk on her own, Erwin let go of her hand, but Elyse shivered once he placed it on the small of her back to walk her towards her building.

Students were staring at them. Some of them were drunk and high, catcalling at them or offering them a drink as they passed. Elyse, still not used to this life, politely refused with a flush to her cheeks. Sometimes, students truly did believe she was older than twenty-one. At the thought of that, she looked up at the man next to her. He knew she was underage, but did he know she was _underage_?

She walked into the elevator and expected to say goodbye to him there, but he entered with her, still having his hand on that irritatingly polite part of her back. It didn't help that there was a couple making out next to them.

Once the elevator doors closed, Erwin turned to her and began to talk about how ironic it was to meet her on the train that he was on to get his rented car in order to drive to Levi's penthouse suite. Elyse had laughed and nodded at the right parts, but her mind couldn't help but wander as she side-eyed the making out couple. What if Erwin's hand that was on her back go lower to cup her-

The elevator doors opened and Elyse was thankful that it was her floor. She got off, immediately, hoping that Erwin's hand wouldn't be on her back anymore. It wasn't. He followed her, politely trailing behind her.

 _Okay. Once you enter your room, you will take a cold shower and swear to never drink red wine ever again until you are the right age._

"Well, this is my room." Elyse said, smiling at him. Erwin looked at her door, curiously. Elyse had noticed a note from her roommate on the door, 'Won't be in tonight, Elyse! With the boyfriend ;)'

For once in her life, Elyse felt jealous of her roommate and her sexual life. The thought made Elyse blush.

 _Literally, never having red wine ever again. Scratch that right age promise._

"Wow, this takes me back to Uni." Erwin stated, wistfully, his eyes shining in amusement. His lips quirked up in a small smile.

Elyse licked her lips, swiftly, wondering how it would feel to kiss those lips and-

Panicked, Elyse patted her pockets for her keys and when the sound of keys hit the floor. She sighed at her clumsiness.

"Geez, being a dancer, you would think I would have at least grace when it comes to common actions." Elyse muttered, bending down to pick her keys up.

Erwin's throaty laugh caught Elyse's attention and she looked up in surprise at how close the sound was.

She didn't expect for her lips to brush against his.

He happened to bend down to help her with the keys and Elyse must've not notice due to her panicked state of being flustered around this foreign man who happened to be extremely attractive and extremely interesting and is he going to move or—

Her mind must've stopped working because she began to press her lips even harder against his.

And to her horror and surprise, he began to kiss her back. The keys were being forgotten on the floor as Erwin's hands grasped both sides of her face to bring her closer to him.

Kissing Erwin was breathlessly intoxicating. His expensive cologne was comforting and he tasted like mint and a taste of tobacco. The thrill of realizing that he smoked through _kissing_ him sent a thrill down her spine.

"GET A ROOM, YOU TWO." A random yell broke through her mind and Elyse pulled away in shock.

Two boys from down the hall winked at her and hollered at them, encouragingly, before they disappeared in a room.

Elyse grabbed the keys on the floor and coughed, lightly. She didn't look up as she got up, scared to look at him. Her heart was pounding and the heat that was bothering her didn't lighten up.

Erwin must've realized that what they did wasn't _right_. I mean, she's young and he's older than her. He's her brother's friend. She was getting married.

Oh god, _married._ The memory hit her like a train ramming into a wall. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and maybe they fell because a leather-covered hand hastily began to wipe her cheek.

"Oh, Elyse. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Maybe I might be a bit inebriated. Please don't cry. I won't kiss you—"

"No, no. It's not that, Erwin. The kiss was wonderful. It's…" Elyse trailed off and closed her eyes.

The burden of having a marriage put on her was finally hitting a weak spot in her armor. She had been reciting that what she agreed to was good for her family. Her father was happy. Her brother will understand. Her aunt wouldn't have to worry about her. Everything was going to be okay. The company would be in safe hands.

But, the mantra wasn't working anymore. She was tired of being the sacrifice. She wanted to be sixteen and to enjoy her life. Many people who have met her had complimented her father and brother on her upbringing, mentioning how mature she was for her age. But, they didn't get it. She _had_ to be mature. Someone _had_ to. She owed it to her father, brother, and everyone who expected so much from her.

She looked up at Erwin, handsomely breathtaking Erwin, who stared at her with slight hesitancy in those deep blue eyes. His lips quivered, slightly, and Elyse embraced that small vulnerability since he never seemed to show any vulnerable weakness.

God, he was like a Greek statue. Greek because of all those heroic beauties that she had studied about with their complexities. Statue because other than the obvious chiseled aspects of him, she still couldn't read him. Yes, he was smart and funny. His wit matched hers, and he never made her feel like less of anything. But, there was really something about him that attracted her to him. She was like a moth to a flame, a flame she longed to learn and touch.

Her heart warned her, _You're going to get married, Elyse. Don't do anything stupid._ Her mind scoffed, _Exactly, you're going to get married, Elyse. Enjoy yourself before you can't._

She had mentioned in her mind that he would be the epitome of her bachelorette party.

Plus she was tipsy, so she gets to be a little rebellious. For once.

"Erwin." Elyse whispered, longing, staring right at his lips trailing back to his eyes. Her body warmed when she realized he was staring at her with such intensity.

"You want to come inside?"

She didn't need to ask twice.

* * *

He seemed huge in her small dorm room. She knew he was tall and athletically built, but wow, he really made an impression in any room.

She thanked her roommate silently for cleaning up their dorm room before she left, and she began to take her jacket and scarf off, nervously.

Was this going too far? Would her brother find out? Oh god, what would happen if her father somehow found out?

Why should she care? This was for her. Her one day of just letting herself have fun and to actually have the first time she wants. Not some old husband on her.

A million questions bombarded her mind, but the moment she turned to face Erwin, silence replaced the chaos in her mind. He had taken off his outerwear also, and she found herself staring straight at his broad chest that was peeking out of his unbuttoned top buttons of his white dress shirt.

He walked towards her, in two strides, and placed his arms on both of her elbows, gently. Elyse didn't know what to do next.

"Elyse, are you sure—" She cut him off by placing a finger on his lips and she began to trace them, slowly. The sound of his small groan made her feel powerful and wanted. Something she never felt in her life for quite some time.

"Don't talk. Just—" Elyse cut herself off and placed her lips on his, urgently. He let her have power for a while. Her lips gingerly pressed on his, experimenting. He was patient, and Elyse suddenly felt a bit shy. Granted, she didn't really _know_ how to continue after kissing. Of course, she knew what _sex_ was. Her roommate made sure she knew with her obscene choices in movies and boys, but Elyse never really had a sexual appetite until she met this man who was kissing her right now.

Sensing her hesitancy, Erwin began to take control and she shivered when she felt his hands begin to trail up and down her arms, leaving gooseflesh in his wake. He gently grabbed the back of her head, weaving his hands in her dark hair and pulling her closer with the other hand on the small of her back. His tongue pried her lips apart gently and he playfully teased her mouth which made her moan, softly.

The moan must have encouraged Erwin because he began to grow bolder. He left her lips in order to place kisses on her jaw and then down her neck which made her moan even louder.

His hands began to pull her shirt over her head and Elyse found her hands unbuttoning his dress shirt, swiftly. Her mouth parted in happiness at the sight of his broad chest and abs with dark blonde chest hair that trailed down…

She felt her face heat up at the realization about what they were about to do.

"I'll be gentle." A soft promise caught her by surprise. She looked up and Erwin smiled encouragingly at her. She nodded, and he kissed her lips once more. He began to gently direct her towards her bed and she sighed once he laid her down and followed.

His kisses began to grow more urgent as he skillfully unclasped her bra. The slight growl that sounded from his mouth as he looked down at her breasts made her feel beautiful as he began to pepper them with kisses. One hand cupped her left one gently as he alternated sucking her nipples, lightly. She felt blissfully on fire as she arched her back, offering herself to him.

"Erwin. Yes, yes." She gasped, one hand grasping the sheets behind her and another in his gelled hair.

His lips began to trail down and he swiftly pulled her jeans down, impatiently. His hands left her breasts and he trailed them down her legs and then her inner thighs, close to meeting the place her body yearned him.

He began to replace his fingers with his lips, kissing every part of her legs and once he was satisfied with exploring every inch of her body with his kisses and hands. He pulled down her panties, and he groaned.

"You're so _wet_ , Elyse. So ready for me." Erwin whispered, bending down to lick her wetness.

One lick and Elyse was thrashing around, moaning and gasping. So, this was how it felt like. At first, when her roommate mentioned it, Elyse was appalled. She didn't know _that_ was a thing during sex, but God, she reminded herself to thank her roommate for mentioning this to her.

Erwin was gentle, extremely, and Elyse began to whimper impatiently.

"Erwin, please. I'm about to—" She cut off into a loud moan as he began to go faster with his tongue, his finger joining to rub the nub that she was taught that would make her lose control.

Make her lose control, indeed.

She felt her body tense and she felt as if she couldn't take anymore, but then, she saw stars and whiteness in her vision, gasping for air. She felt immense pleasure and completely sated. That's when she heard Erwin unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants.

When she looked down, she saw how _full_ he looked. Sure, her roommate mentioned that size mattered, no matter what anyone told her.

And, hello, he was…more than pleasing.

But, being a virgin, Elyse suddenly felt scared, her eyes widening and her teeth biting on her lip in nervousness.

"I promised you, didn't I? I'll be gentle, Elyse." Erwin's soft voice caught her attention. She nodded, and she began to settle back on her bed, trying to relax.

"If it hurts too much, let me know, okay?" Erwin asked, settling his body against hers once more.

Elyse nodded, biting her lip. That's when she felt the fierce pain of her hymen breaking. Tears began to leak out of her closed eyes and she grasped the sheets beneath her, tightly.

"Does it hurt too much?" Erwin asked, concerned, but Elyse could hear the tightness in his voice.

Elyse shook her head, "It's okay. Just go slowly."

Erwin obeyed, his thrusting slow and gentle and Elyse felt so _full_. The pain began to subside and she felt her body beginning to enjoy the way he filled her body. She began to gasp whenever he began to hit a certain spot in her body.

"Erwin, it's starting to feel good. Oh, god." Elyse moaned, wrapping her legs around him and her arms around his neck. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, moaning.

His thrusts began to get faster and harder. Before she knew it, she was another gasping mess when she saw stars once more.

"Oh, god. Elyse, _Elyse._ " Erwin groaned, and Elyse felt something spill inside her soon after.

They were both breathing, heavily, and he rolled off her into a small free space next to her. She found her eyes heavy with sleep and tipsiness, and before she knew it, she was fast asleep, embracing the dreamless night ahead of her.

* * *

A:N/ HEY HEY YOU YOU

Pls review or comment.


	3. Chapter 3

A:N/ Thank you, Ktrivia! I'm glad you're enjoying this so far, and I hope you keep enjoying it. We all need a little more Erwin~ ;)

The only thing I sadly own is Elyse.

* * *

Elyse had woken up to the sun shining on her face. With a small groan, she patted the side of her bed to look for a pillow to cover her face.

Instead, she had patted something hard and that something had chuckled, softly.

Her eyes opened wide and recollection of last night hit her, immediately. She got up, panicked, and noticed that her room had no sign of her roommate coming in. She sighed in relief, but the cold air hitting her naked body was enough to grab her blankets, hurriedly, to cover herself.

"Well, good morning to you, too." Erwin's voice from behind her sounded, amused and throaty.

Elyse would've found it intoxicating to hear him talk, but reality and her slight headache from last night's red wine hit her, strongly.

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, and she flinched. Erwin seemed to notice and he let go of her, reluctantly.

"Elyse, is everything okay?" Erwin asked, hesitantly. His fingers trailing down her back in a comforting motion.

She shifted away from him, standing up with her blanket around her. She hesitated to look up, but she did, and she already regretted what she was about to say to this handsome stranger on her bed. He looked so scruffy and messy in only a way that waking up could make him look and she relished within that fact.

She felt horrible. She just used this man for her personal pleasure, and he had treated her so nicely about it. She just wanted one night for herself, and she managed to get it in her slight inebriated state. But, would he be okay to be let down by her? God, this man was her brother's friend, and based on last night, they were really good friends. Could she avoid him after this? Well, he was from Germany. Maybe, he didn't have business here to stay. With a sick twist of relief of that fact, Elyse took a deep breath.

"Erwin…as-as enjoyable last night was…um, I think it's best if we part ways now." Elyse managed to get out, grabbing the sheets tighter.

There was no shock or surprise on Erwin's face. Mainly, there wasn't any emotion on his face. Elyse shifted, uncomfortably, in the silence.

"You see, I was slightly drunk last night, and I don't think you understand how young I am." Elyse continued, hoping that he'll understand.

Erwin simply stared at her, giving her a look that meant he was listening respectfully to what she was saying.

Elyse felt relieved when she saw him nod once in understanding, "I see." He said, softly. But, his face or voice didn't betray any emotion. This mas was really good at—

That's when she realized that what this man exuded was _mystery._ He was so infuriatingly and intoxicatingly mysterious.

It slightly annoyed and awed her at the same time. _See, Elyse, it wouldn't have worked out with a man like him. You can't even tell if he enjoyed the sex at this point._

She kicked herself mentally for thinking about that at a time like this.

The shifting on her bed made her realize that Erwin was moving to get up, and she noticed that he was naked also.

"Oh god, how rude of me to have the covers to myself," Elyse groaned, "Here, grab a pillow."

Erwin waved her off, politely, and he began to gather his clothes, pulling his briefs, another fact she enjoyed about him, up. His pants followed, his belt buckled, and his dress shirt buttoned up. He sat down on her bed to put his socks on, and Elyse didn't what to do but just watch.

"I won't tell your brother about this, Elyse. I would hate for myself to be murdered in New York City." Erwin stated, his gaze turned up to look at her.

Elyse offered a weak smile at his joke. He looked back down to finish the task he was doing. Once he was fully dressed, including his outerwear, Erwin stood up, swiftly.

Elyse looked up at him, biting her lip, nervously. He chuckled, his leather-clad hand tugging at her bottom lip.

"That's not a very good habit, Elyse." He stated, his eyes still damning unreadable.

Elyse just nodded, slowly. Erwin let go of her lip then, but to her surprise, his fingers traced her cheek, softly.

"Just for my sanity's sake, will you tell me how old you are?" Erwin asked, softly. Elyse closed her eyes and mentally prepared herself for his reaction.

"Sixteen. I'm sixteen." Elyse whispered, harshly. Erwin's fingers froze on her cheek and a bitter chuckle sounded from his lips.

"Ah, I see. Perhaps, you are right then. This shouldn't be repeated." Erwin stated, not betraying anything in his voice. His eyes were closed though and Elyse thought it because of the mental blow of what he had just found out.

He let go of her face and he gave her a slight, stiff bow. Elyse smiled wryly at that.

"Again with the weird manners, Mr. Foreign Name." She teased, half-heartedly.

Erwin simply nodded, and he turned to take his leave. Slightly panicked, Elyse grabbed his elbow to stop him. He turned around, slowly, and Elyse stared at him, not knowing what made her stop him.

"I hope the next time we see each other; it'll be under happier circumstances." Elyse offered, lamely. Erwin smiled at her then, one that she realized that that smile was what hid secrets.

"I don't think there will be a next time, my dear." Erwin stated, softly. Her heart froze at that, but she couldn't say anything else because he was already out the door.

* * *

The driver was polite enough to not carry a simple conversation with her. She wanted to be left alone due to her headache. She had considered to call her brother and aunt to let them know that she wasn't feeling good to have their usual meet-up at her aunt's house, but she thought against it. She needed company especially since it's been a week since her father told her about her impending marriage.

She was supposed to meet Mr. Garnier tomorrow. She didn't even know his first name.

Sighing, she snuggled closer to the window as she stared outside. Her aunt lived at least two hours away from the city which was why she didn't have the heart to cancel their usual date every month.

Besides, her aunt said she was excited to share some news with the both of them.

"We're here, ma'am." The driver stated, pulling the car into a stop. Elyse thanked the man, and when he opened the door, she almost gave her his hand to help her out of the car, but she remembered that the driver wasn't a certain someone and got out on her own, her face flushed in embarrassment.

She thanked the driver by tipping him, and he gave her a small smile, "You know, ma'am, you seem to be a down, and I hope that your day gets better."

Elyse smiled at that and thanked him. She watched him drive off, out of politeness, and she turned around to knock on her aunt's door. She noticed her brother's rented car in the parkway and can't help but roll his eyes.

 _And he said Erwin was out of line for renting a car in the city._

The memory of Erwin leaving her dorm room made her heart sigh in regret. She wished she handled that better. By handling that, she wished she had been sober to not kiss him.

The door opened, interrupting her thoughts, and she was greeted by her petite aunt who began to kiss her cheeks, enthusiastically.

"Hello, hello, my dear," her aunt greeted her in a strong French accent, "Your brother is talking to your uncle in his den. How about you accompany me in the greenhouse? They're talking about such boring things anyway."

Elyse, once again, wrapped in her aunt's energetic enthusiasm, thanked the heavens for not letting her cancel. She really needed this.

Tucking her arm in her aunt's, Elyse embraced the nostalgia of the house, welcomingly.

Once they entered the greenhouse, her aunt gave her a spray bottle to help her spray the plants. This habit was developed in Paris when they lived with their aunt, helping her around the house. Spraying plants was Elyse's favorite pastime.

"So tell me, ma petite, how is Julliard? How is dancing on that wonderful stage?" Her aunt asked, patting her niece's hand.

"It's amazing as usual. But, I'm leaving soon." Elyse stated, softly. Her aunt made them stop, harshly, and she stared at her niece, shocked.

"Leaving? Why?" Her aunt asked, gripping her niece's hand. Elyse sighed, "I just decided that it's not for me anymore. I…I'm thinking of going to a normal university to study something else."

Her aunt studied her, surprised and intense. Elyse hoped she didn't see through her lie. It would be a waste of her acting classes if her aunt didn't believe her.

"Is this really what you want?" Her aunt finally asked her, moving them once again to walk slowly.

"Yes, tante." Elyse confirmed, patting her aunt's hand in a soothing manner.

"…Your father has nothing to do with this decision?" Her aunt continued to relentlessly ask, studying Elyse.

"No, tante. Papa has nothing to do with this. It's my decision." Elyse promised, hoping the lie sounded truthful.

Her aunt paused, but she nodded slowly after a while with a sigh.

"If that's what you want, ma petite, I fully support you." Her aunt finally said, smiling softly at her. Elyse's heart clenched, but she remained the good actress that she was.

"Does your brother know yet?" Her aunt asked, curiously. Elyse shook her head, "I don't want to tell him just yet. He wouldn't be as understanding. He'd blame Papa immediately."

Her aunt sighed and nodded in agreement, "You are correct in that. He's already mentioned to your uncle that your father had talked to him about a marriage contract for you and one of his business partners."

Elyse froze at that, but she forced herself to remember that her aunt needs to not know about how she agreed to it.

"Yes, Levi told me about it. He told me not to go see father and I haven't." Elyse lied through her teeth.

Her aunt stopped them in their tracks and she turned to Elyse, her grey eyes, studying her.

"Elyse, I know that you are a very good girl and daughter, but promise me that you will think of yourself at this time. Your father has completely lost it. I understand that he's thinking of his company, but I'm sure that your mother would be whole-heartedly against this. I grew up with both your parents, and although we aren't truly related, I was very close to your mother. I promised to look after you both, and it would kill me to know that you are unhappy, ma petite." Her aunt stated, seriously, caressing her niece's cheek.

Blinking back tears, Elyse smiled at her aunt and kissed her cheek in comfort, "Don't worry, tante. Whatever I pick, I'll be happy. I assure you."

That lie tasted as bitter as the tear that managed to escape and dribble down her lips.

* * *

Her uncle and brother were enjoying their time in the den, discussing about European politics. Elyse entered and greeted her uncle by pressing a kiss on his wrinkled cheek. She greeted her brother in the same manner.

"You both need to stop discussing _European_ politics in _America_." Elyse teased, taking a seat on the couch behind the coffee table. The two men occupied the two chairs in front of the coffee table and fireplace, smoking like chimneys.

"Ah, my dear Elyse, European politics are way advanced than American politics. Look at who is about to run this country. That wig-wearing buffoon and that double-crossing witch are not fit to even be running if this was Europe." Her uncle argued, taking a puff of his pipe.

"Uncle! Do not say those words, you live here now." Elyse scolded, grabbing a pillow to herself so she could get comfy.

"What he says is the truth, Elyse. European politics are much better." Levi agreed, lighting up another cigarette.

Elyse rolled her eyes, "And that is why Brexit happened?"

The two men groaned at the question and Elyse simple smiled in triumph. Her aunt walked in, carrying a tray of drinks.

Once her uncle saw her approaching, he put his pipe down and swatted the cigarette from his nephew's mouth, surprising the man.

Levi cursed as the cigarette burned the rug beneath them.

"Watch your mouth, Levi. I don't care how old you are; you are still my mon petit." Her aunt scolded, placing down the trays. She took one whiff of the air surrounding them and she whipped around to glare at her husband.

"Mon cher, what did I say about smoking now?" She gasped, waving the air in front of her while placing a protective hand on her stomach.

Elyse's eyes widened in surprise and she got up, excitedly, "No way! Are you…?"

Her aunt turned to smile at her niece and nodded, "Yes, I am." Elyse hugged her, tightly, and motioned for her uncle to join in, who groaned as he got up from his comfortable place.

"Congratulations, you two! I'm so happy!" Elyse squealed, happily.

Levi, hesitant to join the herd because of the hole in the rug, got up, slowly.

That's when their aunt noticed the hole and the celebration turned into a whole other scolding.

Elyse couldn't help but laugh behind the pillow she had on the couch as her aunt berated the two men in front of her.

For a moment, she felt truly at home and safe.

* * *

Three weeks later, spring weather began to enter the new year which meant that the semester was ending soon, Elyse's stomach began to grow upset at the sight of Julliard's paperwork of her leaving. Her roommate had been shocked, and she began to beg Elyse to not leave her in the "crappy hellhole by herself".

Elyse had smiled and promised her that they would remain friends, "Oh come on, Freida. You're being dramatic."

Freida had sighed, eating a whole tub of ice cream at the news, and pointed a dripping spoon at Elyse's direction.

"I'm going to die here without you. I just broke up with the boyfriend with the good hands, and I always had you to rely on with my sad outbursts."

Elyse giggled, directing the dripping spoon back to the ice cream carton. She opened her mouth to say something, but the taste of acid suddenly rushing up her throat and she ran to the bathroom to retch.

Freida, running after her, pulled her hair away from her face as she threw up. Freida began to soothe her by rubbing her back, and Elyse found herself crying at the gesture.

After she was done, Freida helped her to the sink so she could wash her face. While Elyse washed her face, Freida went back to the toilet to flush.

"Elyse…is there something you're not telling me?" Freida's voice asked, hesitantly, from the stall. Elyse, who had just finished washing her face, paused to look up at the mirror, confused.

"What do you mean?" Elyse asked her friend, confused, as she watched Freida appear in the mirror from behind her.

Freida shrugged, "You've been throwing up since yesterday, but you don't have a fever or a cold. You also barely eat our favorite ice cream without gagging. I mean, unless you are the Virgin Mary reincarnated, you definitely had sex weeks ago if you have these symptoms of…"

Elyse couldn't breathe as she turned to face Freida, terrified.

"Oh no…Freida…oh no, oh no, oh no." Elyse began to stutter, tears beginning to run down her face. Fredia, running towards her, grabbed both her arms.

"Hey, hey. Take deep breaths. Let's figure this one step at a time. Do-Do you want to tell me about it?" Freida asked, hesitantly.

"It-It was supposed to be a one-night thing; you know? J-Just a one-night thing." Elyse tried to explain, desperately.

Freida began to soothe her friend, gently, "Elyse, it's okay. These things do happen, you know that. Now, how about we sit down on your bed? After relaxing, we'll go get a test to make sure you are or not. One step at a time."

Elyse shook her head, "I don't have time for that. I-I have a meeting with my family today at my aunt's place. M-my father is going to introduce me to someone there. Oh my God, this is so messed up, Freida. I don't know what to do."

Freida didn't know what else to do as she began to rub her friend's back as she led them back to sit on the bed.

What was she supposed to say to her precious friend who was experiencing something that she never experienced in her lifetime?

* * *

Freida had bought her the test. Elyse felt it burning in her purse once she got out of the car to enter her aunt's place. Thanking the driver, he smiled at her, "You look better today."

How wrong he was.

She had smiled at him, thanking him once more. She walked up to the door and she knocked, lightly. Her aunt greeted her, glowing and beautiful, and Elyse couldn't help but agree that pregnancy did agree with women.

She placed a hand on her stomach underneath her jacket and she bit her lip, nervously, remembering the test weighing down in her purse.

"Your brother is here and he brought a friend! Such a charming friend and very handsome. He's from Germany, but he absolutely has no accent. He said he was born here and raised here until he was ten years old. Your brother and him really love Europe—Elyse! Are you okay?" Her aunt asked, alarmed, as Elyse dropped tripped slightly against a table leg.

Elyse didn't fall, but she found herself hoping she did so she could knock herself out and wake up from this horrible nightmare.

Her brother brought him here. The family meeting that her father had set up, so they could meet the man she was supposed to marry.

"I-I'm fine." Elyse assured her aunt, straightening herself up.

Her aunt stared at her, warily, but she continued to walk towards the backyard to where she set up the food.

"Anyways, he mentioned how your father and his father are business partners, also. His father is in charge of the Germany branch, so it makes sense that he's here since the owner of the French branch, Mr. Garnier, will also be here." Her aunt continued, and Elyse felt her world being torn apart.

"T-tante, I'm going to go to the bathroom. I forgot to use it before I came here." Elyse said, fiddling with the handles of her purse. Her aunt nodded and took her jacket from her.

"We will be outside, ma petite." Her aunt said, smiling.

Elyse rushed into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, swiftly. She got the test out of her purse and began to read the instructions.

 _Okay, okay. So, I just…pee on the stick. Wait for a couple of minutes. And, you won't be pregnant, Elyse. Everything will be okay._

Elyse took a deep breath and followed everything to the letter. She flushed the toilet, and she waited patiently as she stared at the stick on the sink.

"Elyse! Your father is here!" Her aunt's voice called for her. Elyse silently cursed her luck, so she tucked the test back into the box and hurriedly placed it in her purse.

She washed her hands and checked her face for any sign of imperfections that her father would pick at, content with what she saw. She stepped out of the bathroom and pasted a small smile on her face as she walked outside in the backyard.

She saw her uncle first, so she kissed him in greeting, "Hello, my dear. You look absolutely stunning today. Did you do something different with your face today?"

Elyse shook her head, politely, "You must be seeing things in your old age, uncle."

Her uncle chuckled until he pointed his glass behind her, "Ah! Your brother and his friend are over there. It seems your father is still talking to your aunt with that Frenchman."

Elyse turned around and her breath caught in her throat as she found herself staring at the deep blue eyes that once entranced her. This time, they frightened her. The test in her purse screaming to be seen.

He was dressed just like any other businessman. Still handsome, still mysterious. His face not showing any trace of emotion and Elyse found herself annoyed once more, comforted at the thought of not continuing anything with him.

She was suffering enough anyway. A man as undeniably interesting as he was not worth the time and effort to deal with in her life. Especially if she was to be married to another. But, damn, that one-night stand was what kept drawing her to him.

She approached them, kissing her brother in greeting.

"Father seems to be in a good mood today." Levi motioned to their father who was still talking to their aunt and Elyse noticed that the French man was certainly _old_. He was rather handsome in his French mannerisms and the way he carried himself, but the age was still there.

"Maybe he's father's new lover." Levi mused, teasingly. Elyse forced a smile.

 _How wrong you are, brother._

"Oh, I forgot. You remember Erwin, Elyse?" Levi asked, turning his attention back to his blonde friend, who had been silently staring at his glass.

Elyse watched as he straightened himself in that impeccable manner of his and he brought a hand towards her, offering it. Elyse found herself placing her hand in his large one once more and she couldn't help but think of that winter night.

When he brought her hand to his lips, Elyse began to grow red. Of course, his weird manners weren't going to stop anytime soon.

"Miss Elyse, a pleasure." Erwin greeted, his voice just as intoxicating as before.

"Nice to see you, Erwin." Elyse greeted, and her voice wasn't as elegant as his. Her mind still thinking of the damn test in her purse.

"Elyse!" Her father's voice boomed and Elyse shot her brother a warning look as she noticed his face darken.

"Be good." Elyse warned, which Levi responded with a small grunt and a sip of his whiskey.

Elyse walked towards her father, who smiled at her. She greeted him with a kiss on his cheek.

"Hello, Papa." Elyse greeted, warmly. Her father gave her a nod, approvingly, and motioned to the man beside him.

"This is Mr. Laurent Garnier. He is the business partner I was telling you about." Her father introduced the man, and Elyse shook the offered leathery hand of the old man.

"Mr. Garnier, a pleasure." Elyse stated, smiling her weariness away.

"Miss Elyse, you are just as beautiful as your father mentioned. It makes an old man like me utterly breathless." Mr. Garnier replied with a crooked smile.

Elyse thought him kind, but she found herself burning at all the drama that was already occurring around her.

She was about to excuse herself until she found herself tripping over backing up against a chair behind her. Her purse fell from her shoulder, and the contents began to spill out on the concrete floor.

Horrified, Elyse began to try and zero in on the box before anyone else could see it, but as she gathered her things, she noticed that she couldn't find it.

"Elyse." A voice, stern and gasping, called for her.

Dreading everything and closing her eyes after a moment, Elyse looked up and saw her father, holding the test that held her very fate. He was completely shocked and surprised. Her aunt was equally shocked. Mr. Garnier, the poor man, simply looked confused.

Levi and Erwin had walked towards them to help Elyse, but Levi's curses were already being muttered. Elyse knew that worrying about Erwin's reaction was a lost cause.

Her father hastily opened the box and once he read what was on the stick, he closed his eyes, an angry line set on his mouth.

"Do you want to explain to me why a positive pregnancy test is in your bag?"

* * *

A:N/ DUN DUN DUN.


	4. Chapter 4

A:N/ I know I usually end my stories in cliffhangers, and many people are upset. To be honest, I haven't had time with writing, and now that I do, I actually am really interested in completing this one. Plus, the stories from before, as amazing as they are, I'm disappointed with my ability then. I don't think you guys would want half-thought out work. This one was thought out for a while, and I promised to keep this one as a learning one in order to work on my time management and writing. And maybe, I will get back to completing the ones I didn't get to complete.

Enjoy!

* * *

Time seemed to be at a standstill as Elyse got herself off the floor. She noticed that she was beginning to shake, and that wasn't okay with her father.

"Elyse. I asked you a question, and I want an answer. Why is there a positive pregnancy test in your purse?" Her father asked, angrily. Her aunt, overcoming her shock, placed a hand on Elyse's father's arm.

"Ansel, let's let Elyse calm down for a moment." Her aunt suggested, softly. Her father shrugged her aunt's hand off his arm. He walked towards Elyse and grabbed her arm.

"Answer me now, you incompetent child." He ordered, loudly. Levi's shot out as he shoved his father away from Elyse.

"Can you let her breathe for a moment, Father? She's obviously shaken up right now." Levi defended, angrily.

"Don't you _dare_ defend her boy. This is your fault, isn't it? Teaching to her to just be as rebellious as you are. Such ungratefulness after everything I've done for the both of you." Her father yelled, pointing an accusing finger at his son.

"Oh, please, Father. She's always been good doing whatever you wanted. Don't let one thing get to your head."

"One thing? Boy, she already agreed to marry Mr. Garnier, and all of a sudden, she's _pregnant_?"

Levi paused, and he turned to face the shaking Elyse, who glanced at him, wearily.

"You already agreed, Elyse?" Levi whispered, aghast. Their father crossed his arms, smugly, still holding the stupid pregnancy test in his hand.

"She did. Just like the good girl she's supposed to be. Now, we need to start the next step of getting rid of— "

"Enough. Please, stop this." Her aunt stated, angrily. Elyse's father was actually suggesting to get rid of the life growing inside her precious niece. It mortified her. People had never understood when Elyse would cry over dead spiders, and now her father was suggesting to do something that she knew Elyse was truly incapable of doing.

That seemed to anger him.

"Elyse, you're sixteen for fuck's sake. Do you really believe you can take care of a child?" Her father demanded.

"Excuse me, sir, but you _were_ going to marry her to Mr. Garnier over there. I believe that you should be questioning yourself about whether she's of age to even do that." Erwin's voice interrupted the angry man.

Elyse widened her eyes as she completely remembered that Erwin was in the room. She turned to look at him, and she flinched when she noticed that his stare wasn't as warm as earlier. He seemed truly peeved, and Elyse couldn't pin the reason why. He had many reasons to be peeved at this point.

"Mr. Smith, you must understand that this is a family decision." Her father argued, pointedly. Erwin pinned his glared at him, and Elyse was surprised at her father's slight twitch.

"You also must understand that you tried to marry your daughter off to a business partner, so it has something to do with the business, which I'm also in. Besides, if I could talk to you privately about this matter. There is something else you might be interested in." Erwin stated, his voice formal and his posture straight.

Elyse tried desperately to meet Erwin's eyes, to plead with him. He was signing a death warrant if her father found out about who Erwin truly was in this matter, but he simply kept staring at her father, who reluctantly nodded.

"Mr. Garnier, if you will join us, also. How about you Levi?" Erwin offered, taking control over the situation. He held up a hand to her father once he opened his mouth to reject his son being a part of it.

"Levi is still your son, sir, and Elyse's brother. I'm sure he will want to know about what's happening." Erwin explained, shooting a look at the furious man.

Elyse noticed that her father soon deflated after, accepting defeat. The men left the room, and Erwin was the last one to leave. Elyse grabbed his arm before he left, "Erwin, please think about what you're doing."

Erwin softly took her hand off him and he glanced at her. Elyse found herself taking a small step back in shocking fear. He wasn't angry at anyone but her.

"It seems that I'm the only one thinking at this point. If someone had told me, maybe a better plan would've been made." Erwin stated back, his eyes not losing the intensity.

"I…"

"If you simply used me to get rid of your old suitor, you should've said so, Elyse. It seems that I've been also backed up in a corner, and with what I've come up with, it seems you will also be backed up in the same corner."

Before she could say anything else, Erwin left her standing there, her aunt and uncle coming towards her.

He knew. He realized that she had used him, but not in the way he thought. She had simply wanted to have a fleeting moment. She didn't intent to pin him down. This mess was just getting messier.

"Elyse, do you want to tell us what's going on? What is Mr. Smith talking about?" Her aunt asked, worried.

Elyse grasped her aunt's hand and followed her uncle's lead as he helped her sit on the couch inside the house.

"…He's the one that I-I…" Elyse didn't have to finish her sentence because the loud bellowing of her father cursing at Erwin was heard throughout the house.

Her aunt placed a hand on her mouth in surprise, and her uncle closed his eyes and sighed as he massaged his temples.

"Oh, ma petite. Why didn't you say something?" Her aunt asked.

"I truly just found out today. I didn't expect everyone to find out with me. Papa read it, and I-I-Oh auntie, what am I to do?" Elyse began to cry, helplessly. Her aunt began to rub her back and Elyse laid her head on her uncle's shoulder. He kissed her forehead, softly.

"It will be okay, our sweet Elyse. Everything will be okay. If anything, you can live here with us. Our baby and yours will be raised together in one roof, how magical it will be." Her uncle suggested, bringing the first smile on Elyse's face since the news.

The three of them sat there, listening to the heavy footsteps and bellowing that the men exchanged. Muffled and loud, the conversation was lost to Elyse and she gave up on trying to eavesdrop. She was beginning to get sick again at the smell of the cigarette smoke outside wafting indoors.

She closed her eyes and before she knew it, she began to fall asleep, embracing her aunt and uncle's soothing presence.

* * *

Levi wanted to throttle all the men in the room. His father for being the annoying hard-ass brute that he was. Mr. Garnier for being a sick old man to marry his sixteen-year old sister. Erwin for knocking his sister up.

"Mr. Smith, how could you do this to my family? Your father is one of my best friends." Ansel Ackerman groused, his hand massaging his temples.

Erwin bent his head down in apology, "I'm sorry, sir. If I had known that she was already arranged to be married, I wouldn't have acted so recklessly."

Ansel sighed, turning his head back to Mr. Garnier, "Laurent, my old friend, I must apologize for these turn of events."

Mr. Garnier, the old bastard, shook his head, slowly, "You must understand, Ansel. I cannot get married to her now. I expected what you promised me in our contract."

Levi gritted his teeth, angrily.

"You bastards need to stop talking about Elyse like she's a damn item. She's a strong and upstanding girl with great talents at her young age. Most of all, she's your daughter. Her morals certainly did not come from either of us, Father. The fact that this happened is mostly because _you_ were going to place a fucking marriage in her name." Levi argued, standing up to accuse his father.

His father narrowed his eyes and got up, "Now, you watch it, you sniveling, arrogant boy. Elyse was perfect whenever she was under my tutelage, but now that she's been with you since you came back here, she ends up pregnant. I wonder why. Besides, _your_ friend here is the one that impregnated her. It's you who is the one to blame."

"Enough." Erwin's voice interrupted the two Ackermans. Erwin turned to Mr. Garnier and he approached the man. With his hands properly placed behind his back and his head tilted so slightly, Erwin commanded the room, effortlessly.

"Mr. Garnier, are you saying that you are opting out of this marriage?" Erwin asked, directly.

Levi fought the urge to roll his eyes at his friend's way of taking command. This was how Erwin won debates in Uni. The University of Sina was one of the toughest school to get into in all of Europe, but Erwin managed to finish his schooling at the top of their class with Levi following behind him. The only worthy man he could think of besides himself, Erwin was the only one who could have Levi's respect. Yet, the fact that his sister is now knocked up because of the large behemoth of a man before him wasn't sitting right with him at the moment.

Sure, Erwin had his share of women as much as Levi did, but none seemed to really catch Erwin's attention. He remembered how the girls were from each class that Erwin happened to have at that semester which made it seem that he dated them for convenience and that they only studied together whenever Levi walked into their dorm. Girls were heartbroken all the time after each semester, and Levi had always been the literal cleanup crew after they broke shit in the room. He had even asked if Erwin was still a virgin at that point, but Erwin simply smiled and chuckled and left Levi standing there even more annoyed at the man's unusualness.

Elyse has always been special. Levi knew it the moment she would beg for books rather than trinkets to play with. She carried herself with grace and poise that any born artistic person would have. She could sing, dance, and act. It had always been her passion. She was a true-born Parisian, but she truly wanted to move away from Paris to pursue arts in _America_ of all countries. Besides, she had inherited the beauty that was transcended down from the Ackerman gene pool. Tall, too, much to Levi's annoyance.

It's no surprise that Erwin was attracted to her since he always surrounded himself with beauty, but seriously, the man usually didn't surprise him at all. This time, he truly did.

Laurent Garnier seemed to shrink in his seat with the commanding aura that surrounded Erwin. But, he stood his ground, as if realizing he wasn't inferior towards this young man.

"I don't see why I should feel that I have to keep my promise in the contract if the girl did not." Laurent argued, eyeing Erwin warily.

Erwin listened, intently, and nodded after a moment.

"That's understandable and I agree with that. I believe that Mr. Garnier be let go of his promise in the contract. The business must go on, Ansel." Erwin offered to the livid man.

"And what do I do now, hm? What shall my company do without a solid Ackerman within the company? My good-for-nothing son here _refuses_ to own it. My daughter has no background in running a company. I'm getting old, Mr. Smith. I need to make sure that my business will at _least_ be within my legacy." Ansel roared, angrily.

Levi closed his eyes and sighed, loudly, "Father, the company is your legacy. You have your friend Mr. Garnier here and Mr. Smith in Germany. You're overthinking this."

Erwin turned to face Levi and pinned him down with a look that Levi knew that it meant that Erwin was planning something.

A cold feeling shot through Levi's body in warning.

If Erwin was shooting _that_ look, then that meant he had a plan up his sleeve which would either make it or break it.

"Mr. Ackerman, I might have a way that will get you to preserve your family within your company. If you will hear me out." Erwin offered, politely, offering his hand as a sign of respect.

Ansel took Erwin's hand, warily, but he nodded.

Levi closed his eyes and waited for the moment of revelation that Erwin was about to share and hoped that it was a plan that would help Elyse in her time of need.

* * *

Elyse opened her eyes and she noticed that she was lying down on her aunt's favorite couch with the roaring fireplace warming her up. Her favorite wool blanket that her aunt had made for them whenever they came over was over her. She got up, slowly, and rubbed her eyes, wearily.

The evening chilly spring air was still comforting as it wafted through the room from the open windows. She could hear her aunt and uncle's chatter from the backyard as the sound of clattering dishes sounded. Guilty, she realized that they were cleaning up the food outside. About to go outside, she gasped once she turned around to see her father, brother, Mr. Garnier, and Erwin walk down the stairs.

They seemed to be…amicable. Her father and brother were shooting glares at each other which seemed normal, but Mr. Garnier looked relieved and Erwin, well, looked calm and nonchalant like usual.

Her father was the first one to see her and she felt her face pale when his face lit up at the sight of her.

"Elyse, my dear. Did you just wake up from a nap?" He asked, motioning towards the couch and the wool blanket on the couch.

She nodded, slowly, backing away slowly. Warning bells were ringing in her head at her father's sudden bright attitude. It was completely opposite of what she heard earlier upstairs.

She caught a comforting look from her brother's narrowed gaze, so she relaxed a little.

"Yes, Papa. I did. I was going to go outside to help aunt and uncle clean-up." Elyse said, softly. Her father nodded at that and motioned for her to go.

"Go ahead, dear. The men and I will be here discussing final things." Her father stated, more like ordered, but at least he was still smiling.

Elyse couldn't help but feel grateful especially when she realized that Erwin's gaze never left her.

Once outside, her aunt and uncle asked how she was feeling.

"They're done talking. They're downstairs right now, but Father agreed that I should help you both out." Elyse responded instead. Her aunt's eyes widened and her uncle made a beeline back inside.

"Elyse! Why didn't you just stay there? They must've come to a conclusion of some sort!" Her aunt whispered, surprised at her niece's obliviousness.

Elyse shook her head, "I'm not sure I want to know yet." She whispered.

"Elyse! Will you come back in here please?" Her father's voice bellowed. Her aunt sighed and took her niece's hand and grabbed it, tightly.

"It seems you have no choice, ma petite." Her aunt said, an encouraging smile on her face. Elyse took a deep breath and nodded, never letting go of her aunt's hand as they walked inside.

* * *

Entering the room was scary enough. The men were either standing or sitting in the living room and it looked like it was straight out of a soap opera, Elyse thought that to herself in slight amusement to cover her nerves.

Yet, she noticed that there was one missing man among them.

Mr. Garnier wasn't there.

"Elyse, please sit down." Her father said, motioning towards the couch from where he was standing in front of the fireplace.

Elyse nodded and obeyed, sitting on the couch. She noticed that her brother sat on the opposite side of her with her uncle on the other chair besides him. Erwin was standing on the other side of the fireplace. Her aunt was already sitting on the same couch as her, ready to hold her hand.

She tried to examine the faces in the firelight that brightened the dark living room, but she couldn't see the expression on their faces as she hoped.

"Elyse, I've decided that the marriage contract with Mr. Garnier and you will be terminated." Her father stated, evenly, grabbing the papers that she had signed from his bag that was set next to the coat rack.

The sight of her signature warmed her as she realized that this was actually happening. Her eyes began to glisten with grateful tears as she watched her father toss the papers into the fire.

"Papa, thank you." She whispered, gratefully, grasping her aunt's hand. She noticed that her aunt didn't return the squeeze.

"Yet, there will still be a marriage to keep my company within our family." Her father continued, his stare darkening as he stared at his daughter, "It especially works in your favor since you happen to be pregnant with his child."

Elyse froze.

She forgot to breathe. Her heart began to beat, wildly, against her chest.

"You can't possibly mean— "

"You will be married to Erwin. He is the son of the president of my company in Germany. I can't believe I didn't see this opportunity until now. Maybe, your mother…," her father paused, as if waiting for her reaction.

Elyse closed her eyes and clenched her fists in anger.

"…is actually watching us from above, sending Erwin this way. It works out for you too, my dear. Being pregnant and all."

Elyse found herself numb by all the emotions hitting her at the momentous news.

She looked up at her aunt, her uncle, and her brother and they weren't even looking at her. They were looking everywhere but her. Ah, so they knew. They knew and they thought this was the best solution.

A marriage between her and this mysterious man that she happened to have a one-night stand with. A stranger, one that mistrusted her and one that was angry at her.

A stranger that mystified her in ways that terrified and awed her at the same time.

She was being tossed once more, being used as the good daughter once more. And more than ever, she felt trapped.

Trapped with a duty. Trapped with a baby. Trapped with a man.

She finally looked up at the man that was to be her husband and the blue gaze that looked back at her was enough for her to get up and walk away screaming.

He didn't even have an expression on his face for her to read. He just stared at her. _Stared_.

She truly was doomed.

* * *

A:N/ I'm not that mean to leave this in a cliffhanger, guys! ;)


	5. Chapter 5

A:N/ I don't think you understand how excited I am for this story, so here's another chapter.

Once again, Elyse is mine. The rest isn't. Maybe the Ackerman brood besides the brooding child himself, Levi.

* * *

No one stopped Elyse from walking away and she was grateful for it. For once in her life, she will be unbothered. She walked down the pathway that she was pretty sure lead to the small pond that her uncle would take her and her brother as kids. It was still pretty chilly, and she hit her head lightly at forgetting a jacket.

But then again, she needed to get out of there.

She was literally switched to marrying a different man because she happened to be _pregnant_ with his child.

When will it ever end?

For once in her life, she questioned her obedience to her father. Sure, it wasn't _normal_ to obey him this much, but her condition in life wasn't normal.

God, she wasn't even normal for going so far with this.

She saw the small bench next to the pond and was grateful that there wasn't any wetness on it as she approached it.

Spring was here and she could see that the ice on the pond was beginning to melt, but damn it, the evening chill was still here.

She shivered and she jumped when she felt a heavy blanket thrown on her. Oh, no! Someone was here, someone was going to kidnap her and-

"Relax, it's me." A familiar voice ordered, and she obeyed, letting out a breath that she was holding in.

Levi hopped over the bench to sit next to her as he held a blanket of his own.

"The cold won't be good for the both of you." Levi said, matter-of-factly. Elyse placed a hand on her stomach in silence as she realized his words.

"I'm not even sure if the test is accurate." Elyse protested, softly. But, a hand atop of her hand made her look up at her brother.

The sympathetic light in his eyes made her want to cry. "But, _you're_ positive, right, Elyse?"

And Elyse knew he was right. Even before Freida mentioned anything, she knew. The first time she vomited in the morning, she blamed it on nerves. Nerves that happened to be because she had to quit Julliard soon and the impending nuptials that she was going to be the bride at.

But, then she began to crave _pickles._ She absolutely _hated_ pickles. It was poison to her, but she wanted them so badly that she had begged Freida to go with her in the middle of the night to grab a jar from the local drugstore.

Freida, weary-eyed and smoking a cigarette, agreed and had raised an eyebrow when she watched Elyse come out the store with three jars of pickles. One already opened.

The one time she had suspected yet thought nothing of it was when she threw up her favorite ice cream all over Freida's bed, who was horrified.

"When I said to eat ice cream on my bed, I didn't mean it _literally_." Frieda had teased the apologetic Elyse.

Her brother was right. She had known, but she had been in too much of denial ever since she signed her rights away to a mad twice her age.

And now, here she was, her rights going to a man she had just met.

"When did my life get so crazy?" Elyse asked, softly, leaning against her brother's shoulder.

"Well, the moment you decided to lie to us about not agreeing with a marriage seems to be a good start. Or maybe when you actually agreed to be with a man that father set up for you." Levi said, sarcastically.

Elyse sighed, "Come on, Levi. You can't be _that_ mad at me."

"Of course, I can. You lied to my face, Elyse. If you had told me the truth, maybe you wouldn't have turned to Erwin to…impregnate you." Levi said, his fingers twitching which meant he was in need of a cigarette.

Elyse sat up, quickly, horrified, "You think it too, then? That I planned to have Erwin impregnate me to get out of it?"

Levi stared at her, his tone careful, "Elyse, how do you think it looks like? You met Erwin four weeks ago. You signed a marriage contract four weeks ago. Put two and two together."

"It's not like that. I didn't even think that way." Elyse pleaded, softly, grabbing the blanket around her closer.

"What did you think then? Were you _that drunk_?" Levi inhaled, sharply, "Did he force you?"

"No, no!" Elyse protested, sharply, "No, I just…I was slightly tipsy, but I wanted it because…I wanted it because to feel control for once. I didn't mean for it to be like this."

Levi listened and took a moment to close his eyes and process what his sister had told him. He finally sighed, "Elyse, I understand, but I thought you'd know where babies come from at this point."

Elyse whipped her head, angrily, towards him, "That's not funny."

Levi glared at her, which silenced her, "I didn't mean for it to be funny. I'm quite serious. It didn't occur for you to be safe? Erwin or someone else, it was your first time and it was unprotected."

Elyse looked down and began to fiddle with her hands on her lap, "Oh, I understand."

Levi sat forward, his arms resting on his knees as he looked out at the pond.

"If you understand, then you must understand that this is the best plan that would make father shut his mouth and protect you and your child. Erwin was the one who offered this plan, and even though I don't whole-heartedly agree with it, I trust him to take care of you." Levi explained, his eyes far away in thought.

"Why do I have to be married to him? Why can't I just raise the child with him and not marry him?" Elyse asked, softly, already knowing the answer to that.

"Because you're only sixteen, Elyse. Sixteen. Which by the way, remind me to fucking kick Erwin's ass later. You won't be dancing anymore due to your condition and you don't necessarily have any other education besides that. Erwin can provide for you and you won't have to be under father's watchful eye—"

"But I'll be under his watchful eye." Elyse interrupted him, abruptly.

Levi turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised in question.

"I know Erwin, Elyse. He's simply doing this because he has a duty to the child inside of you. He's honorable and will do what is expected and morally correct. If you ask him to give you space, he'll give it to you without any question. If you ask him for a replica of the Eiffel Tower, he'll give it to you and then some. He's got an eye for beauty, I'll give him that." Levi stated, his nonchalant demeanor unchanged.

Elyse looked up in surprise, "Really?"

Levi turned towards her and gave her a slight smirk, "Really."

He got up and handed her his hand to help her up, "Besides, I'm pretty sure you won't ask for the Eiffel Tower. There are prettier things to ask for."

Elyse smiled at her brother's half-attempt at a joke. She stood up with his help, and he tugged at his hand before he could let go.

"He didn't know; you know?" She offered, quietly, her face a bit flushed at what she was going to admit.

Levi raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to come clean.

"He didn't know I was sixteen." Elyse finally stated, her face bright red as she looked at her brother.

Stunned, it took Levi a moment and a sharp laugh tumbled out of his thin lips in amusement.

"Well then, I guess the man got his ass handed to him without my help."

* * *

They arrived back at the house and much to Elyse's relief she noticed that her father and Erwin were nowhere to be seen.

"Your father and Erwin are discussing final arrangements to the wedding." Her aunt said, tired of the day's events. Her hand on the small bump of her belly.

Elyse grew angry at that, but she made sure her aunt wouldn't see her displeasure. She smiled at her, "Okay, auntie. Why don't you go rest? It's been a long day."

Her aunt chuckled at that and nodded. She kissed her niece and nephew goodnight before making her way to her bedroom.

Once she watched her aunt disappear from her view, Elyse whipped around to face her brother, "Where are they?" She hissed, annoyed.

Levi, a little taken aback at his sister's anger, put his arms up in a, 'I surrender', motion.

"The last thing I heard before I left to go get you was that Erwin suggested to go up to uncle's office." Levi stated, warily, "Are these what pregnancy hormones do?"

"No," Elyse said through gritted teeth, "This is what being mistreated does to me now."

Without another word, Elyse walks up the stair and misses the look of pride on Levi's face before he left to go to the room prepared for him.

* * *

Elyse took deep breaths before she knocked on the office door. Sure, she was a little pissed, but that didn't mean that she would look like she was throwing a tantrum just like her father does. She'll act like an adult, someone had to.

The door opened revealing Erwin's tall form which made Elyse look up at him. She forgot how tall he was up close, her anger suddenly forgotten as a chill replaced her courage.

"Yes, Elyse?" Erwin asked, chillingly polite. His face betraying nothing, simply being handsome as always.

"I heard that there was a discussion of a wedding without the bride." Elyse stated, softly, trying to gain back the courage she had just mustered moments ago.

Erwin tilted his head and smiled in that annoying patronizing way, but at least, he opened the door wider, letting her in.

"Of course, we were waiting until Levi would come home with you." Erwin offered, his hand motioning to the seat next to his.

She greeted her father who sat at the head of the table in the study, his hand clutching a glass of red wine.

"Elyse, are you done taking your breather?" Her father asked, a little bit sarcastic, but Elyse ignored it.

She smiled, politely, "Yes, Father."

Her father merely grunted and Elyse knew that he was entering his drunk phase.

She looked at Erwin who just sat beside her, his form regal and straight. He was looking at her father with a calculating look and Elyse suddenly regretted entering the office.

"Now, on to the conditions of the wedding, Ansel." Erwin began, his arms placed on the arms of the chair, "I will be flying to Germany tomorrow, informing my father of the wedding, which will certainly be pleasing to him. Once that is done, I should be back here in a week or so. I'm sure that Elyse's aunt and Elyse will be wedding planning at the time for a quick wedding. We need to get married before the press begins to speculate about Elyse's pregnancy. I'm sure Mr. Garnier will not be careful especially due to his past indecent incidents with the press."

Her father nodded, satisfied, taking sips of red wine.

Erwin continued, his hands now folded in front of him as he leaned forward, "The wedding should be in three weeks' time at least. It will be small, understandably, making our business partners curious and left out, which will work in our favor. They will be buttering up to you after that. During my time in Germany, I will buy a house in Paris for Elyse and I to live in."

That shocked Elyse, she felt her mouth drop slightly at that.

"I recently acquired a business venture there and I would like to make sure that everything runs smoothly."

Erwin seemed to be finished and Elyse felt her world spinning.

 _Paris. I'll be going back to Paris. Is that where he wants to raise our child? Oh god, our child._

Everything was beginning to be too much. Elyse wanted to vomit and for the first time, she wished her morning sickness would hit her so she would have a good excuse to leave the room.

"Does that sound fitting to you, Elyse?" Erwin's voice interrupted her thoughts. Elyse nodded, numbly, not knowing what else to do, scared at what he might do next if she recklessly says anything.

Erwin turned to her father, who seemed to be in deep thought.

"You are a good man, Erwin Smith. I give you that. You have everything planned and I don't see any flaw within it. Just make sure my damn company stays within _my_ family." Ansel stated, with a deep sigh.

Erwin gave him a reassuring smile, "Yes, sir. I swear on it."

Elyse didn't like how comforting and easy his smile was. Especially when his hands were currently digging into the wooden arms of his chair.

* * *

"Erwin, can we speak for a moment?" Elyse asked, once he shut the door that led to the office.

Erwin gave a sharp nod and offered his arm to her, which Elyse tucked her own arm in with ease. She was beginning to get used to this man's weird manners.

He led her down the stairs, and he offered her jacket to her and she put it on, gratefully. He put his own jacket on and he motioned towards the backyard.

"Shall we?"

Elyse nodded, once, and followed him outside.

She shivered at first, noticing how cold it truly got.

"Well, what is it you want to talk about?" Erwin asked, politely. His back facing her, and she heard him shuffle for something in his pocket. "If you'll excuse the gap between us, I really need a smoke at this point and I don't want to endanger the baby."

Elyse felt-a pleasant or horrifying-chill go throughout her body at the mention of the baby.

"I understand." Elyse said, softly. She tried to gather her thoughts as she watched Erwin light up a cigarette and take a long drag from it.

"I…I just wanted you to know that I didn't plan for you to impregnate me. I simply wanted a night to myself due to my situation at the time. It wasn't my intention to—"

Erwin waved her off, cigarette in hand. "Don't worry about it, Elyse. I was taken aback at the time. I should apologize for my harsh words."

Elyse couldn't tell if he meant his words due to the nonchalance in his voice, but she would take it as is: an apology and an acceptation.

"Erwin, is this really okay with you? I understand that you are a morally upright person and that you believe that this is the right thing to do, but I would hate to find out that you gave up someone or something for me." Elyse offered, hoping he would realize that she truly felt bad.

The image of him digging his hands into the wooden part of his chair didn't sit right with her.

Erwin chucked, catching her off-guard.

"To be frank, Elyse, I didn't plan on getting married or having a child in one setting. I'm a private man and an ambitious one at that. Plans of settling down weren't anything on my agenda. You are correct. I am doing this because it is right and I don't want my child to be without a father. My life is pretty demanding, you see. If anything, the only thing that should be worrying is that I'm not sure _you_ will be happy with this marriage."

Elyse paled, "What?"

Erwin sighed, throwing his cigarette on the ground and squashing it with his foot.

"You're sixteen, Elyse. Young, beautiful, and talented. I'm twenty-six. Hardened slightly, ambitious, and uninterested in foolishness. Yes, we did share that one night. But, I must say, you were correct to assume that I didn't know how exactly underage you were at the time. Also, I'm used to having…one-time things. Rest assured, I don't plan to be unfaithful when we are to be married unless we discuss—"

"Hold on, you don't _truly_ want to be husband and wife?" Elyse asked, not knowing how to feel about Erwin's discussion with her.

Erwin stared at her, leaving her uncomfortable once more.

"Do _you_ want to be husband and wife, Elyse? To a man you barely know?" Erwin asked, and dare she guess, was that surprise in his usual monotone voice?

"Would I have a choice?" Elyse finally asked, voicing her fear.

Yes, she was scared to be his wife. Once they were married, she belonged to him. He could do anything he wanted with her. The way he already had an agenda in his mind about the wedding frightened her. It wasn't normal. None of this was normal.

A tug on her chin caught her by surprise and she found her head tilted up and she was staring at Erwin's hypnotizing blue eyes.

He seemed so…angry. Fear seized her. Did she say something wrong?

"With me, you will always have a choice, Elyse. I am not your father, nor am I a cruel man. If you don't want to be husband and wife in more ways than one, I will understand and respect your decision." Erwin whispered, sharply.

Elyse felt his calloused fingers brush against her chin, quickly. And before she knew it, he let her go, leaving her outside.

He turned towards her and Elyse caught a glimpse of his serious face.

"Besides, I highly doubt you would truly want to be with a man like me, Elyse. I'm sure that one day you will be coming to me to ask if it'll be okay for you to have an affair of the heart." Erwin said, his voice betraying no emotion, but she saw the side of his mouth quirk, slightly, "And I assure you, I will let you have that beautiful moment because it would be a shame for your heart to go to waste."

With that said, Erwin left her out there, not knowing what to say.

Elyse placed a hand on her stomach after a moment and she whispered ever so quietly, "My first prayer for you will be that you won't be as complicated as your father because Lord knows that I'm already tired of trying to figure him out."

* * *

A:N/ I told you I was excited for this story. Here's another update.


	6. Chapter 6

A:N/ You guys keep leaving reviews and it gets me pumped.

Okay, so a couple of French words from the past couple of chapters, I'm not French btw, so Google is my friend. If you notice wrong words, please let me know:

Ma petite/ mon petite: My little girl/boy

Tante: aunt

Mon cher: my dear or love

Also, in the first chapter, Elyse calls Levi something in French which means older brother. I think I made it clear, but I just wanted to make sure.

ALSO, the chapters will get longer now that this chapter is pretty much establishing a something at the end. The future chapters will be more focused and detailed which means it will take a while to be posted compared to how everything was quick before. If you noticed, I tried to give as much background in the beginning chapters, so it would be the skeletal background for future references that I hope many of you will turn to and be like ,"OMG THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE."

Ah, I love that sense of fulfillment.

Until next time!

The usual; Elyse is a figment of my imagination even though I wish I was her cause Erwin. Everything else belongs to Isayama and his wonderful, complicated imagination.

* * *

Erwin was true to his word. He left for Germany the next day, leaving Elyse with a list of wedding planners that were supposedly praised by his business partners back in Europe. Her aunt had been so happy with his connections, and Elyse felt like a lost little girl who was playing wedding.

Her father went back to the city earlier than his children due to going back to the head company since the issue of his daughter was solved. Levi had restrained from lunging at the man when he was starting to make snide remarks about Elyse's "shotgun" wedding.

Levi offered to take Elyse back to her dorm so she could start making arrangements to move. Not being a hoarder, Elyse knew she could put her things into two huge boxes with Freida's help.

"I'll be waiting in the parking lot then. You'll stay at my penthouse to avoid the press. I'm sure in the next few days, people will be talking." Levi stated. Elyse nodded in agreement.

When she arrived, Freida was wide-eyed at the sight of Elyse. "Oh my God, you have to tell me everything."

Elyse smiled, half-heartedly, "So, I'm pregnant like you expected and I'm going to move in with my brother in his penthouse. I came back here to pack my stuff. I…I wish I could tell you more, Freida, I really wish."

She hesitated, her mind warring with her. _You can't tell Freida about the wedding yet. She'll have to find out about it in the news. Remember, Elyse, you need to protect your family even though Freida has done more than enough for you._

Freida nodded, solemnly, "Hey, it's okay. Everyone has their secrets, Elyse. At least it isn't worse than that."

 _Oh, Freida, you bet it is._

Elyse forced a laugh and began to grab a beaten box from under her bed with Freida's help and they began to pack her things. Freida offered to help her with one box and they walked to the parking lot after getting out of the elevator.

Elyse saw her brother against the car, smoking a cigarette, with the trunk of the car slightly open. He happened to see them, and he walked around the car to open the trunk even more.

Freida widened her eyes at the sight of the man, " _That's_ your brother? _Hello there_."

Elyse rolled her eyes and nudged her friend's arm in fake warning. Levi took the boxes from the girls. He turned to Freida and thanked her, quickly, "Thank you for taking care of my sister with her time here."

Freida, suddenly abashed, nodded, slowly, "M-my pleasure."

Levi nodded and he guided Elyse to the car with Freida trailing behind them. Once Elyse was inside, Freida bent down to poke her head in the window.

"Don't be a stranger, 'kay? I'll be here if you want a babysitter." Freida offered the last part with a teasing smile. "You're a good person, Elyse. I'm happy that you're going to be taken care of. Let me know everything when you can."

Elyse nodded, her eyes watering as she hugged her friend through the small window, "Thank you for everything, Freida. I promise I'll let you know as soon as I can."

Freida stepped away from the car and waved as Levi pulled away. Elyse watched as her friend disappeared in the background, and her heart dropped when she realized that she was already saying goodbye to a part of her life that she wished she could go back to.

 _Goodbye, Julliard._

* * *

The ride back to the penthouse was comfortably quiet, and Elyse was about to fall asleep until Levi interrupted it with a question.

"Do you want to go see an OBGYN?" He asked, his voice sounding a bit uncomfortable. Elyse snorted her amusement which was silenced by his glare.

"You make it sound like it's a weird thing to ask a pregnant lady to go see one." Elyse stated, playfully pushing her brother's shoulder.

"It is weird if it's your sister, brat." Levi replied, smoothly.

Elyse thought about it. She did need to see one specially to confirm. But, a queasy feeling entered her mind as began to think about it.

 _Why do I feel weird?_

Pushing the feeling away, Elyse nodded, "Yeah, I need to go see one. If anything, I need to confirm my suspicions also. Maybe there won't be a wedding if I'm not." The last part was a weak tease, but she felt more uncomfortable rather than amused.

Levi found it amusing, he chuckled, "I can't even imagine father's face if he found out you weren't pregnant."

Elyse laughed, weakly.

Before she could say anything, she watched as her brother got his phone from the cupboard in his car and dial a number that belonged to a 'Dr. Zoe.'

"Hey. I need a favor." Her brother said into his phone. A flash of annoyance and irritation crossed his face at the loud voice that screamed through the phone.

"Listen, glasses. My sister might be pregnant and she needs to see a professional to confirm it. The test says positive and she has all the symptoms, but she wants to be sure." He continued amidst the loud yelling.

After a moment, her brother had ended the call before the loud yelling ceased. Elyse was appalled.

"That was rude, Levi!" She complained, grabbing his phone. He grabbed it back, chucking it back to the cupboard in one swift move. He didn't even need to look away from the road.

"Don't worry about it. I served back with them in Europe. They're an old friend, doctor of the staff." Levi waved her apprehension off.

Elyse's eyes widened in realization, "Oh! I forgot you served back in Europe. They were a chief doctor? An OBGYN?"

"They specialized after their term. So, your appointment is tomorrow. Just show up and they'll do their thing in about ten minutes or so. They don't waste time, really, and they're careful with their work at the same time. Won Doctor of the Year two times in a row."

Elyse nodded in awe, "Wow, they must be pretty amazing."

Levi merely grunted, "They're pretty annoying if that's what you mean. Practically screeching in my ear."

Elyse laughed for the first time that day.

* * *

The penthouse guest room was beautiful as always.

"You can make it yours if you want. Don't worry about being a stranger here, brat. You literally live here anyways. Just _please_ don't vomit on anything except inside the toilet." Levi groused, pointing at the bathroom beside her as they walked in.

"Also, I'm going to grab some groceries after work tomorrow. If you have any weird cravings, write them down." Levi stated, placing the boxes in her room.

Once settled, he began to unpack them and he looked up, noticing that his sister had a soft smile on her face.

"What?" Levi asked, hesitantly.

"You still work with inner city kids?" She asked, awed. She sat down on the fluffy bed, nonchalantly.

Levi shrugged, "Someone has to. Besides, I'd rather work there than deal with father dear."

Elyse frowned at that, her eyes scolding, "Father is proud of you in his own way."

Levi sighed, "Elyse, really? Do you think our fights are hugs? Also, I still can't believe you're sticking up for him after the way he literally switches marriages on you."

"He's human, Levi. You and I know that he hasn't been the same for a while." Elyse whispered, tugging on her fingers on her lap.

"Well, he fucking hates me, Elyse. You need to accept that already." Levi stated, tired all of a sudden. He began to place his sister items around the room, willing to distract himself.

"I don't think he would be paying for this penthouse if he did." Elyse argued, trying to have her brother find sense.

"Yeah, he's a fucking saint, Elyse. He buys this and he gets you married, not thinking of what his kids might want. Look, the only reason he bought this for me is because he doesn't want any of his damn partners to find out that his son would rather be on the streets than wearing a fucking suit and saying words like, 'the stock market is up today, hurrah.'" Levi snapped towards her, glaring.

Elyse bit her lip, but she kept quiet. After a moment of moving her stuff to the right places, Levi packed the boxes and sighed as he put them away.

"Elyse, I'm sorry. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Okay? I see him, he sees me. We're…amicable. Let's just keep it that way. Besides, I'm keeping my promises." Levi stated, tired and weary.

Elyse nodded, looking up at him with an understanding look.

Levi gave her a sharp nod, "Don't forget. Appointment tomorrow. The driver's number should be programmed in the home phone."

With that, he closed the door behind him. He took a deep breath and sighed. He hated when Elyse was too compassionate. The poor girl was always looking for the good in people, not even thinking about herself.

"I hope that one day your compassion won't be turned against you, Elyse. I really do."

* * *

Elyse walked into the doctor's office not knowing what to expect. It was an interesting office to say the least. She walked in and noticed that there were anatomy posters _everywhere_. Ones she were pretty sure that didn't really focus on the specialized area that Dr. Zoe was supposed to deal with.

"Alright, shorty's little sister, you here?" A loud voice called. Elyse looked up at was bewildered at the doctor's appearance. They looked like a doctor, eyeglasses and hair tied up in a ponytail. They had the scrubs and the coat, but the quirky earring that resembled a pair of wings threw her off and the wide smile they held seemed intimidating rather than comforting.

Also, the fact that they had just called her, 'shorty's little sister', wasn't helping the situation.

"U-uh, here?" Elyse asked, raising her hand, slightly terrified when the doctor whipped their face towards her.

"Woah! Your Levi's little sister? Geez, he got the short end of the stick, am I right? Here, here. Come in." Dr. Zoe stated, not even taking a pause as she led Elyse inside her office.

"You certainly are a ray of sunshine compared to your grouch of a brother. I see the resemblance though. Dark hair, pale skin. French babies, indeed." Dr. Zoe stated.

"And German. My mama was German." Elyse said, softly, finding herself being drawn into this doctor's exuberance.

"German! I'm from Germany! Your mother's last name?"

"Jaeger. I don't really know where she was from in Germany. I know she has a brother, though. A doctor. He and his wife live in a village outside of Aachen."

Elyse found herself reminiscing. She barely remembered her uncle due to only visiting Germany twice with her aunt as she wanted them to meet their only blood-related uncle through her mother. He was a quiet man, but he had been very nice to her and her brother. He always gave them candy when they came over. He had visited them in France whenever he had business there, but after an altercation with their father, she never saw him again. Her brother had been angry at his father ever since.

"The only last link we have to her and he breaks it." Levi hissed, angrily. She had been six. Her brother had been sixteen.

Her age now. Her age except she was pregnant.

That floored her to reality. Dr. Zoe motioned for her to sit on the chair.

"Aachen?! Wow, such a small world. I was born there. Here, sweetie, sit on the chair. I'm going to put some jelly on your belly. You are four weeks?"

Four weeks. Her life has changed so much in four weeks.

"Y-yes, I believe so." Elyse muttered, softly. Dr. Zoe patted her leg in a comforting manner. They smiled, "It will be quick, I promise. It's going to be a bit cold."

The gel was cold and had slightly chilled Elyse, but she relaxed once Dr. Zoe rubbed it all over her stomach. Elyse stared at her rather flat stomach and she wondered how a baby could possibly be in there. The queasy feeling that she had in the car returned and it made her wonder.

 _What if I don't end up pregnant? Will Papa still make me marry Erwin? Will they both be angry at me? Do I want to be pregnant?_

The last question penetrated her heart. Did she want to be pregnant? The thought of aborting the child didn't cross her mind at all. She didn't have the heart to make such a huge decision. So, here she was, lost at what she's supposed to feel. Erwin had made the decision to keep it, so she followed, slightly relieved that the other half of this person growing inside of her made a decision that she could follow.

 _Would I be a good mother?_

Elyse loved kids. Julliard had an after program for kids who wanted to learn ballet and she taught it. She smiled at the memory of all the thank you cards she had back in her room at the penthouse.

But, seeing kids for only a few hours was different than having one of your own twenty-four hours a day.

"Okay, so let's see," Dr. Zoe hummed, moving the transducer probe on her stomach, "Ah!"

Elyse froze, scared, "Y-yes?"

Dr. Zoe tapped a few keys on the machine and whipped around to face Elyse with a bright smile on her face.

"There, do you see it?" Dr. Zoe asked, pointing to the machine.

Elyse peered at the machine, and she began to get up at the sight of a small circle within the depth of the dark ultrasound.

"I-Is that the baby?" She whispered, gingerly pointing at the screen. Dr. Zoe smiled and nodded, "Good job! That's the baby. The little thing was hard to see at first, but congratulations, sweetie. You're officially pregnant."

Those words seemed to be the key to opening the floodgates of her emotions. The queasy feeling disappearing at once, making Elyse realize that she _actually_ was relieved.

She was relieved that she was pregnant. _Does this make me crazy?_

So tired of questions and her confusing emotions, Elyse placed a hand on her sticky stomach and breathed, deeply.

"At least I know you're real in this confusing world. That's a start." She whispered, softly.

Dr. Zoe patted her leg which made Elyse look up, abashed. But the doctor smiled, "At least you know, sweetie. You're right. That's a start."

* * *

Levi didn't even blink when Elyse told him the news as he scanned the French newspaper in front of him.

"Elyse, I'm pretty sure you already knew before the appointment." Levi stated, a bit amused at Elyse's flustered expression.

She sat down in front of him, placing her stuff on the chair beside her. "It's real now, Levi. It's actually happening."

Levi looked at her above his newspaper and he set it down with a chuckle, "Well, congratulations, kid. You officially have made me feel old."

Elyse laughed, before she could reply her phone began to vibrate. She answered it after one glance at her phone.

"Hey, Freida!" Elyse greeted, warmly.

"So, I know you were going to tell me when you could, but I think the press already told me what's going on." Freida stated, out-of-breath. Elyse held back from dropping her phone out of dread. Levi seemed to notice the look on her face as he stared at her, his gaze narrowing.

"Um, Freida, hold on, I'm going to put you on speakerphone so my brother can hear what you're going to tell me." Elyse said, hurriedly, placing her phone on the table in between her and her brother.

"Okay, good?" Freida asked, on speakerphone. Levi greeted her, "Hello, Freida. We hear you."

"Okay, so, apparently, you are marrying a _really_ hot German man that happens to be one of European's top richest bachelors named Erwin Smith? It's all over the gossip sites. People on our floor we're knocking at the door, wanting to see if it was true that you had left."

Elyse fought back a groan, and Levi growled in annoyance, "Fucking Garnier literally needs a damn muzzle. Erwin was right. Man doesn't know how to shut up with the press."

"Yeah, uh, well, it doesn't mention anything of the _surprise_ , but I'm assuming that this man is part of the _surprise that happened._ Geez, Ely, where'd you meet this hunk? He's sex on legs. Damn, I just realized you may have made the _surprise_ in this room. Kudos, Ely."

Elyse flushed red as Levi rolled his eyes.

"Freida, stay on track." Levi stated, a bit sharply.

"Oh, shit. Sorry, um, other than that, the rumor of you leaving is because you eloped with him. Saying that he's your sugar daddy of some sort since you're sixteen and he's twenty-six. That's Julliard's version."

"People are fucking annoying." Levi cursed, noticing Elyse's horrified expression.

"Don't worry about them, Elyse. These people are just jealous. A couple of girls in the bathroom were annoying, but I told them straight, saying that they were just jealous since they were understudy-worthy compared to your prima donna status."

Elyse smiled at that, imagining Freida shutting them down, "Thanks, Freida."

"No worries, babe. But since I technically know, I expect a wedding invitation, yeah?"

Elyse laughed even Levi slightly smiled at that, "Of course, Freida. Just be discreet, okay? We don't want anyone barging in."

"Yeah, trust me, I'm leaving as soon as I'm clear of meetings with scouts. I'll be incognito at my parent's beach house in the Hamptons. Visit me when you can, 'kay?"

"Will do, Freida. Thanks for letting us know."

After the exchange of goodbyes, Elyse sighed and sunk down low in the couch. Levi shot her a sympathetic look, "Hey, chin up. No one knows the truth except our family. That's what should matter."

Elyse smiled, and then her phone began to ring. Seeing the unknown number, she answered, hesitantly.

"Hello?"

"Elyse, it's me." A deep voice greeted, and Elyse was hit by the smooth sound of Erwin's timbre.

"E-Erwin? How did you get my number?" Elyse asked, surprised. Levi's eyebrows shot up, but he didn't seem to think anything of it as he picked his French newspaper back up again.

"Your father gave it to me before I left for Germany." Erwin explained, nonchalantly.

"Oh, I see…How is Germany?" Elyse asked, a lost at what else to say.

"Same as the last time I left it. Father is pleased to hear about the marriage and he'll be coming back with me to America for the wedding. Speaking about the wedding, how is the planning going so far?"

Elyse bit her lip, "I…I haven't really gotten around it. I actually had a doctor's appointment with Levi's friend, Dr. Zoe, about the baby."

"Dr. Zoe? Hange? Wait, the baby. Is everything okay?" Erwin asked, relentlessly demanding. Elyse suddenly felt overwhelmed once more by him.

"Yes, Dr. Zoe. You know them? Yes, the baby is okay. It was just a confirmation." Elyse stated the last part, quietly.

It was quiet on the other line for a moment. Elyse suddenly hated phone conversations. She could feel the anxiety of wanting to know how Erwin felt about the confirmation. How would he feel about it? Would it feel even more real? Would he run away or be adamant about it even more?

"The baby is confirmed. That's…That's very good. How are you feeling about it?" Erwin asked, and Elyse softened at the sound of concern in his voice.

"I…I'm okay. I mean, four weeks ago, I was dealing with marriage contracts, so you know, the usual." Elyse joked, weakly, hoping that Erwin wouldn't hear her nervousness.

Erwin's chuckle relieved her, "That's good to hear then. Yes, Dr. Zoe is a great doctor. I had the pleasure of working with them before. And before I forget, I called to warn you that the press has gotten word of our marriage."

"Oh yeah, my roommate called me. She said that she found it through gossip sites and Julliard. There's nosy people coming to the dorm room, seeing if it's true."

Erwin sighed, deeply, "I'm sorry, Elyse. I tried to get this through immediately. Your father gave me a call saying that there are reporters outside the company. He's very angry at Mr. Garnier which is understandable. I'm taking the red-eye back now with my father. I hate to ask you this, but we might not be able to have a wedding after all."

Elyse froze, "I'm sorry?"

"The wedding as in you walking down the aisle in a dress and having a ceremony and a reception. The press will try to meddle in, so we'll have a court marriage instead. Your family and my father as witnesses. I know it's not a grand wedding, but we must do this in order to avoid controversy."

"Won't it just be even more controversial the moment the baby is born? A shotgun court wedding will look terrible, Erwin."

"…I will be fabricating the date we got married, Elyse. My father and I have people in the court who can. That's why we need to have the quietest marriage as possible. Once I come back to America and after we are married, we will go to the press, make up a story of how we were married months before. You leaving Julliard was _because_ you found out were pregnant, and hopefully, the press will leave us alone after that. Well, leave us alone about the marriage. I can't promise that they'll truly leave us alone—"

"Erwin. W-we can't do anything else? I just—"

"This is the only way to save your reputation, Elyse. To save your father's company's reputation."

"Fabrication? So what? I got married when I was _fifteen_?"

"Don't be dramatic, Elyse. The date will be fabricated at least two months before we actually met. Still sixteen. Besides, you're turning seventeen this March. You'll be fine."

Elyse wanted to scream. So many lies and so many things to do. Also, Erwin seemed to know information about her that she didn't even share with him. He was literally snooping around about her. God, how messed up this was.

Levi was deep into his newspaper, making her believe that she and Erwin were having a private conversation.

But when he looked up at her, Elyse froze. Levi gave her a look of encouragement, confirming that he heard every word, and Elyse truly felt alone in this whole ordeal.

* * *

Erwin did arrive the morning of their court wedding. Elyse and Levi drove up to their aunt's house and greeted their aunt and uncle who were ready for the court wedding. Her aunt smiled at Elyse.

"Come, ma petite. I have a dress for you."

Elyse let herself be led to her aunt and uncle's room and she gasped when she saw the dress waiting for her on their bed.

"Is that—"

"It was your mother's wedding dress." Her aunt confirmed, patting her own swelling stomach. She was at least three and a half months, much to Elyse and Levi's surprise. Their aunt admitted to hiding the pregnancy for three months before telling them.

Elyse walked towards the dress, and she teared at the sight of it. She remembered when her aunt had showed her the dress when she was a child.

"This will be yours on your wedding day, ma petite. I swear it." Her aunt had promised.

Her wedding day was here, special or not, it didn't matter. Her aunt had kept her promise. Elyse turned to her and hugged her, tightly.

"Thank you so much, tante. I love you so much." Elyse whispered, emotional.

Her aunt laughed, a little broken due to her tearing up.

"Enough tears, my dear. Let's get you ready."

* * *

The court was empty, and Elyse had a chilling feeling that Erwin had something to do with that.

"It's safer this way." Levi whispered, holding Elyse's hand as he helped her out the car.

Elyse didn't dare argue back.

She entered the courtroom and she saw her father and another man that she assumed was Erwin's father, the uncanny resemblance was there.

The man smiled at her as she walked in, "Ah, you must be darling Elyse. You look absolutely breathtaking, my dear. Just like your mother."

Elyse smiled back, grateful. She decided she liked him right then and there. He was so sweet-looking, the only difference between him and his indifferent son.

Her father pulled her aside, giving her a look up and down and Elyse patiently waited for his criticism.

It didn't come.

"The dress is becoming on you." Her father whispered, softly. Elyse was sure she imagined it, but she smiled, widely at him. She kissed him on his cheek, softly. "Don't ruin your makeup, dear."

Ah, there it was. Elyse had flinched at that, but the first statement was still warm within her heart.

Whatever this dress was, it was certainly magic for today. Her brother and father haven't fought yet, either.

"Where's Erwin?" Levi asked, suddenly. Right then and there, the doors opened and the judge and Erwin walked in, caught in a discussion. Erwin, cool and level-headed, and the judge, nodding and scanning the papers in his hands, stopped in the middle of the room.

Seeing Erwin always made her feel nervous. Elyse never knew what the man was up to next especially now that instead of a wedding, they were here at a court. But, God, the man knew how to dress and carry himself. He was impeccable in a black tux. His chiseled jaw was defined by the dark beard that seemed to grow since he didn't have time to shave since the revelation of her being pregnant happened. She had felt bad, but it disappeared because of the annoyance of him always looking good anyways.

"Are we ready?" Erwin suddenly asked, looking up. He scanned the faces and when he looked at her, he paused.

His stare was making her uncomfortable and it was that damn unreadable one too.

Her aunt was always good with makeup and hair. Especially since she had worked with the ballet back in Paris.

Her aunt had swept all her hair to one side and curled Elyse's long dark locks. She really did amazing work on Elyse's face with the slight contour and highlight. Elyse always had long eyelashes and high cheekbones with a nice upturned nose, so it was easy for her aunt to find the points of her face for the makeup. The wedding dress that once belonged to her mother was an-off shoulder satin dress that cinched her waist and flared down at the bottom. It was a simple vintage dress, and Elyse always felt like it was a dress that came from the Parisian opera house.

Erwin approached her, gently taking her hand. He raised it up to his lips, never breaking eye contact with her. After placing a gentle kiss on it, he smiled at her, comforting.

"You look beautiful, Elyse."

"Thank you." Elyse said, quietly, blushing at all the attention.

The doors opened once more and Freida came rushing in, "Oh fuck, am I late?" All faces turned towards her, and Elyse couldn't help but giggle.

Erwin shot Elyse a questioning look.

"Um, the roommate that had left the note." Elyse explained, the only thing he'll probably get.

Freida widened her eyes at that and he mouth formed a small 'o'.

"Oh, shit, Ely. It was _that_ night." Freida whispered, sharply. Elyse flushed, thanking God she and Erwin were the only ones to hear it as Freida approached them.

Erwin chuckled, "Ah, _that_ roommate." He let go of Elyse's hand to take Freida's hand in greeting. He gave her a small kiss on the back which made Freida raise her eyebrows.

"Erwin Smith." He introduced himself.

"U-uh, Freida…at your service?"

Levi snorted at that and Elyse shot her brother a glare. The judge cleared his throat.

Everyone turned to him.

"So, are we ready to sign papers now?" The judge asked, a little impatient, "We can only keep the courthouse close for so long. The press will sniff it out, also."

"W-We're just going to sign?" Elyse asked, shocked, turning to Erwin. Erwin let go of Freida's hand to approach the judge. She watched as he straightened his cuffs, nonchalantly, but she could see that his back was slightly arched as if he was ready to pounce on his prey and that prey happened to be the poor judge in front of them.

"Recite the vows, if you please, Your Honor." Erwin stated, more like demanded. The judge shrunk under his gaze and Elyse couldn't help but feel a bit thankful for his commanding demeanor.

The judge cleared his throat, "Okay, let's do this, shall we? If everyone can take a seat, we'll being. Now, will the groom and bride face each other. Yes, like that, now, do you Erwin Smith take Elyse Rose Jaeger Ackerman as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." Erwin stated, as if sealing a deal rather than a promise. God, can this man be anymore serious and damn infuriatingly confusing. He had been smiling and complimenting her, kissing her hand, and now, it looked like he could care less. As if he wasn't vowing to be someone's husband.

"Do you Elyse Rose Jaeger Ackerman take Erwin Smith as your lawfully wedded husband?"

The question burned her. That night from four weeks ago led her here. She looked at the people around them, their faces having various state of emotions.

Erwin's face was just as unreadable as the future of the life that was going to be before her right after she sealed her fate with two menacing words.

"I do."

* * *

A:N/ AND THE ADVENTURE WILL BEGIN. SO, there are many hints of hints of what may or may not happen in the future in this chapter. This story really has me excited.


	7. Chapter 7

A:N/ Hello all! So, I just posted chapter six, but since I'm excited for this story, I will be working on chapter seven.

Like I said, now that Erwin and Elyse are married, the story can now move forward with focusing on SO MANY THINGS. GUYS, GUYS, SO MANY THINGS. There's a reason why this story is all about Drama and Family in my tags.

Elyse belongs to me; everyone else does not.

* * *

True to what Erwin said, there was no celebration of any sort. Freida had been upset at that, but Elyse comforted her.

"We'll celebrate when you visit me in Paris, okay?" Elyse offered, hugging her friend. Freida laughed, happily, at that.

"Also, stay incognito. Once Erwin and I go out to the press about this, it'll be hard for you." Elyse stated, worried. Freida waved her hand, as if getting rid of Elyse's worry.

"I intend to enjoy my secret vacay at my parent's in the Hamptons. You know who my father is. He'd have the FBI at our door if the press tries to bother." Freida giggled, poking at Elyse's surprised face, "Fabrication of a marriage is not one of my biggest secrets, and you know that."

Elyse flushed at Freida's insinuation about Freida's misdeeds. It's shocking how her friend's bad influence didn't rub off on her in all these years.

"I don't know anything behind this whole thing between you and Mr. Hot German over there, but I know that you will be a fucking great ass mother. You saved me from that mega tantrum with the Van Buren kid, remember?" Freida asked, amused. Elyse laughed, hard.

"You were about to throw that poor kid on the floor. What else was I supposed to do?" Elyse asked, wiping the tears away from her laughing.

Freida softened at Elyse's happy face, "Anyway, enjoy Paris and your sexy new husband. Take good care of yourself, too. I'll be in Paris soon."

She hugged her goodbye, and Erwin had kissed her check goodbye and Freida had pointed at him when his back turned, mouthing to Elyse, 'Nice mouth.'

Elyse waved at her friend, smiling widely, as Freida left.

Her aunt and uncle kissed her and promised through their tears that they would visit her back in Paris after their baby was born.

"I'm getting old, dear. I hope our daughter will come soon so I can see you." Her aunt whispered as she held Elyse tightly. Elyse drew back, slightly, shocked, "A girl?"

Her aunt smiled through her tears, "Yes, ma petite. A girl, one I pray that is just as good and beautiful as her darling future aunt Elyse." Elyse began to cry even more, hugging her aunt, tightly.

"I will miss you so much. But, I know you will be taken care of. He is an unusual man, but he is trustworthy and a very, might I add, bel homme." Her aunt whispered in her ear. Elyse tried to smile at her aunt's comforting words especially at the teased part in the end, but she felt that her heart was heavy.

How could she feel grateful when this man was taking her away from her family?

Fear and loneliness seized her mind at the thought of it. A sudden wave of nausea hit her, and she placed two hands on her stomach, smiling. It was if her unborn child was reminding her that she won't be alone.

Her uncle, wiped his niece's tears as he placed a comforting kiss on her forehead, "You will be a good wife and mother, my dear Elyse. We will see you soon."

Elyse hugged him, inhaling the scent of his cologne and feeling the soft weathered skin of his cheek on her head.

"I will see you both soon." She whispered, watching as they walked towards their car.

Her father was next. He motioned for her and he gave her a weary smile, "I will have business in Paris soon, Elyse. I need to teach Garnier a lesson. Besides, the other partners are clamoring in anger over this show of what they call 'favoritism'. Sick old bastards. I shall visit you and your new husband in a month or so."

Elyse smiled at her father's relentless grumpiness. She would miss it.

"Okay, papa. I will make sure our new home will be prepared for you." Elyse promised, kissing his cheek. Her father nodded, patting her cheek twice, softly.

"Take care of yourself," his eyes shifted to her stomach, which made her uncomfortable and weird, "And my grandchild."

The mention of grandchild was enough for her to flinch. She coughed to cover it, "Papa, of course!" She giggled, forcibly.

He turned to walk towards Erwin, who had just finished talking to Levi, and Elyse watched as her father slapped a hand on Erwin's back and shake his hand, saying his goodbyes.

Her brother walked towards her and Elyse found herself looping her arm in his, slightly bending to place her head on his shoulder.

"That cannot be comfortable, Elyse." Levi mused, slightly miffed at the reminder of their height difference.

"I don't care. I don't know the next time I'll be able to do this." Elyse sighed, sadly. Levi chuckled, "So dramatic. You make it seem like I won't visit one of my good friends and my sister as if I'm some cold brute. Have you gotten me confused with father?"

Elyse rolled her eyes, but she raised her head to smile at her brother in gratitude, "Thanks for being amicable today. It means a lot." Levi snorted, "It didn't feel worth it today."

The silence between the siblings made Elyse close her eyes, appreciating the moment before it could disappear.

"He'll be good to you. I know it's been repeated many times, but I know him better than anyone. He'll be good." Levi assured her, softly. Elyse smiled, "Are you repeating yourself to convince yourself, brother?" It was meant to be a tease as she lifted her head to smile at him, but the serious glint in his eyes made her freeze.

"If you tell me he isn't, Elyse, I will destroy him. I promise you. If he does _anything_ to hurt you, I will make him disappear."

Elyse looked at Erwin and noticed that he was busy talking to his own father and judge, deep in conversation about their marriage papers.

She watched as Erwin grabbed the papers as the judge handed him a copy, shaking his hand. She watched as he folded them properly and put it in his suit jacket, patting it for good measure.

Elyse turned to smile hesitantly at her brother, "Thank you, brother."

Levi took a moment and then he sighed, "Oh, I had offered to send your stuff to Paris for your new house, but Erwin said that it wouldn't be necessary. Is that okay with you, Elyse? I'm sure you had old trinkets that you cherished from Julliard."

Elyse felt a flare of indignation towards her new husband, but she thought better of it.

 _It's not like you bought the house in Paris, Elyse. It's his house. It's going to be his rules. You…you are his now._

"He's right, I won't need it in Paris. Besides, it would feel wrong to start a new life with my old life." Elyse stated, softly. Her new stoic life with Erwin didn't deserve to have the old warmness of her life without him.

Levi nodded sharply, leading her back to Erwin and his father. Erwin's father approached Levi, and Elyse was pleasantly surprised to see her brother smile at the man.

"Mr. Smith, you look well." Levi greeted, warmly. Mr. Smith waved his compliment off, "You flatter me, Levi. I look _old_. Especially with my only son finally settling down. No complaints here though. Lovely lady carrying my grandchild, I believe I can relax now. Shall I retire, Erwin? How about it? Take over the company now. I believe that Ansel will be pleased at the change."

Mr. Smith's teasing made Elyse uneasy as Erwin and Levi exchanged a look of understanding.

"Father, please. Ansel will be a little intimidated if his new son-in-law decided to take over the German company the week after marrying _and_ impregnating his daughter." Erwin replied, smoothly.

Elyse was starting to get tired of being referred to the daughter that happened to be pregnant the same time she was married.

"I'm sorry, Elyse. Did that offend you? I didn't mean to mean it that way. Your father will be seeing it that way, so that's why I said it so crudely." Erwin's voice interrupted her annoyed thoughts.

Woah, was her face scrunched up? Her cheeks flushed, "Oh, no. It's fine. I understand." She said, quickly.

Mr. Smith shot her an apologetic look and she smiled reassuringly in return. Levi seemed to be satisfied with what just happened as he placed a hand on his sister's back to get her attention, "I'll be taking my leave now. Call me once you get off the plane, okay?" He told her, placing a small kiss on her cheek.

Elyse smiled, "Of course." Her brother gave a firm handshake to Mr. Smith and Erwin, placing a hard pat on Erwin's back with a small smirk.

"Enjoy Paris, Erwin." Levi said, his version of saying goodbye to his friend.

"Funny, I remember you mentioning to enjoy America four weeks ago." Erwin stated, amused. Elyse flushed and Levi glared at his friend. _Too soon, Erwin._ Elyse thought, wanting to hide under a rock, this man had no sense of 'feeling the room'.

"I'm still kicking your ass for enjoying America a little too much." Levi grumbled, and Erwin laughed at that. Elyse began to grow horrified at how south this was going.

"I will take care of her, Levi. I give you my word." Erwin stated, his posture resuming seriousness. Levi paused, and he smiled a little after a moment.

"Thank you, Erwin." With that said, Levi walked away and exited the courtroom, leaving the Smith family in the courtroom.

"The driver is outside. Shall we?" Mr. Smith asked, offering his arm to Elyse. She smiled at that. Ah, so that's where Erwin got his weird mannerisms. She looked towards Erwin, who simply walked ahead of them to open the door.

Mr. Smith led her down the aisle and it kind of felt like he was leading her down to Erwin, ironically. She didn't mention it, but the small wry smile on Erwin's face as she passed him was hint enough that he was thinking the same thing.

* * *

Elyse didn't realize that the Smiths had a private jet. Parked in a private airport, the jet was already waiting for them, a red carpet laid out for them. Security detail was all over the place, and Elyse's jaw dropped slightly at how…regal it seemed.

"So, are you royalty or…?" Elyse asked, softly, awed as she examined her surroundings once she was helped out of the car by one of the bodyguards.

Ewrin looked at her, incredulously. "Your father was the one who set this all up, Elyse. I chipped in, of course, but the security has always been your father's."

Elyse's eyes widened as she turned around to face her new husband, allowing her new father-in-law to walk up towards the jet first.

"My father?" She whispered, sharply. Erwin sighed, grabbing her arm gently to direct her more inside the jet, motioning for one of the smiling flight attendants to come forward.

"Yes, Elyse," He repeated, as if talking patiently to a child which miffed her, but before she could retort, the flight attendant took her by the arm, gently, "Miss Rea here will lead you to a private room for you to change. I had my assistant back in Paris ship you some clothes here. Once we land, the press will be waiting at the airstrip and I set up a small press conference there anyways. We'll discuss it more after you change."

Elyse, overwhelmed, found that she had no choice but to follow Miss Rea to the private room set up for her. With a polite smile, Miss Rea stated that she'll be outside if Elyse would need help with anything.

"Don't hesitate to ask for anything, Mrs. Smith." The kind worker stated, and Elyse cringed at that.

"P-Please call me Elyse." Elyse begged, her smile nervous, "It's a tad bit weird to be called a Mrs. from someone who is older than me."

Miss Rea had giggled at that, but she nodded and took her leave after that.

Elyse sighed and took in the room's surroundings with an impressed gaze. There was a master bed and a small bathroom. A closet was on the left side and everything was clean and unused, except for the neatly laid out clothes on the bed.

She examined the clothes in awe as she walked towards the bed. She caressed the top and blushed when she noticed that it had a deep plunging neckline. The pastel lavender top was embroidered with black lace and the base fabric was chiffon. She was just glad it wasn't see through. The black high-waisted pants were a comfort and so were the simple black heels. There was even a thick black choker to complete the look. It felt very Parisian, and Elyse couldn't help but smile at the realization that she'd be there in about 7 hours or so.

The deep plunging neckline wasn't that much of a shock, but she wasn't sure if she'd be comfortable wearing it around Erwin especially when they were technically naked wrapped around each other once upon a time and now, they were strangers that _happened_ to be naked in front of each other once upon a time.

The attire was utterly gorgeous and she made a note to herself to thank the assistant who put this together. This person had quite the taste. After asking Miss Rea to unzip her, Elyse stepped out of the gossamer fabric and shivered at the cold air hitting her body. She put the new outfit on and looked in the mirror, appraising her appearance.

She looked every bit of the heiress that the press was calling her. _The surprise heiress that we didn't realize had an interesting life until now._ Elyse's thoughts were beginning to be a little sarcastic and she blamed her brother for that. She noticed that once she tries to get ahold of a situation, it worked if her thoughts were sarcastic and confident.

Although, she failed to be sarcastic and confident in real life. Especially with the handsome robot outside waiting for her.

She stepped out the room and made her way to the main cabin area. She happened to meet Erwin's father, who was walking towards the other room to rest. He smiled at her, "Beautiful once again, dear. The press won't know what hit them." Elyse laughed, her smile actually real.

She excused herself and kept walking towards the main cabin, and she found Erwin sitting next to the window, reading a newspaper and smoking a cigar. Ugh, he was so effortlessly _gorgeous._

It's a shame that his personality was weird and serious. He had taken off tuxedo and replaced the suit with a vest and a navy suit that she noticed he picked all the time. It did compliment his eyes.

He looked up, noticing her, and he looked her up and down. Elyse shifted, uncomfortably.

 _No need for clothes when the robot has X-ray vision._

She mentally applauded herself for her witty comment. Erwin snuffed out his cigar on the tray before him, motioning for one of the waiting flight attendants to get it off the table.

"Thank you, Roy." Erwin thanked the man who ended up getting rid of it. He set his newspaper down on the table in front of him. He got up, walking towards Elyse and he offered her his hand.

Elyse, already getting used to this, took it and let herself be led to where he was sitting. He pulled out a chair across his and motioned for her to sit, and she took it, gratefully. Erwin walked back to his chair and sat down. He sat, properly, slightly relaxing a bit as he placed his arms on the table between them, looking out the window.

Elyse, surprised, realized that they already had taken off.

"How did—"

"It's a jet I designed for comfort. Take-off is barely noticeable." Erwin stated, nonchalantly, taking a sip of the whiskey set before him.

Elyse bit her lip, slightly shocked at how he had known what she was about to ask. Erwin noticed this and chuckled, "It's a usual question I get from people who ride in this jet."

Elyse nodded, still not knowing what to say, shifting on her chair, slowly, trying to be comfortable.

"How are you feeling? Any cravings or nausea?" Erwin asked, changing the subject.

Elyse breathed a sigh of relief, mentally, _Finally, something normal to answer to._

"No cravings besides pickles. Nausea only really happens in the morning which is great, but I don't know how long that will last." Elyse said, trying to remember anything different in the pregnancy.

Erwin nodded, thoughtfully. "I'll call my assistant later. I'll mention that she'll need to buy pickles next to contacting Levi about shipping some things from the penthouse that you may want."

Elyse snapped her gaze up at him in surprise, "Levi told me that you said it wasn't necessary for my things to be shipped in the new house."

Erwin smiled, unreadable and incessantly polite, "I meant furniture-wise. I'm not necessarily a hoarder, but when I was in your dorm that one night, I noticed your walls filled with cute drawings and other trophies in shelves, so I thought that it'd be rude for me not to have that sent over in our new home."

Elyse didn't know what to say, but her eyes began to tear in gratitude. She smiled, shakenly, "T-thank you, Erwin."

Erwin nodded. His eyebrows raised as his hands patted something in his pocket, as if remembered something. He pulled out a small velvet box and placed it on the table.

"Before I forget, here's our rings." He pushed it towards her, and Elyse took it, gingerly. She opened it and gasped.

His ring was silver and the band was intricately designed to resemble a family emblem of some sort. It wasn't obnoxious like any other family emblem. It consisted of light and dark wings, something that seemed familiar.

Her ring was what really got her to gasp. She had two, technically, one she assumed was the supposed engagement ring and then the wedding ring. But the two of them were both interlocked to make one gorgeous silver ring. The princess cut diamond was in the middle while her wedding band encased the diamond by being intricately weaved with the engagement band. It was truly beautiful.

"It's gorgeous, Erwin. You designed this yourself?" Elyse asked, in wonder. She had forgotten her uncomfortableness with the man due to the awe and respect she had for her ring design.

Erwin's laugh interrupted her thoughts, "I wish I could take the credit, but sadly, I must give credit where credit Is due. I contacted a famous ring designer and I had mentioned that your tastes seemed of a classic nature and that you were a ballerina who was born in Paris. This is what he came up with."

Elyse nodded, her awe disappearing. _Don't get your hopes up of him being interesting, Elyse. We've established that he must be a robot, remember?_

She took her ring out and placed it on the proper finer, slowly. She stared at it, not knowing how to feel at the foreign accessory gracing her ring finger.

It felt heavy. Just like her heart. No matter how pretty it was.

She turned her attention back to the other ring in the velvet box and looked quizzically at the emblem on Erwin's ring. It was eerily familiar. She shrugged, mentally, and decided it wasn't worth it to agonize over it.

She closed the box and pushed it back towards Erwin, who opened it up again to get his own ring out. He merely took the ring and placed it quickly on his finger as if it was as simple as putting a tie on.

He picked up the newspaper he neglected earlier, and as if their interaction never happened, he began to read silently as if she wasn't there.

"You can nap back in the main room if you're tired, Elyse." Erwin offered, his eyes not leaving his newspaper.

Elyse, feeling more nervous about the upcoming press conference, turned to look around the main cabin and she noticed some books on the minibar. She got up and approached the minibar and picked the books up, silently.

They were law books, _European_ law books to be more exact, and Elyse felt her curiosity peaked. She had loved reading since she was a kid, and any book wasn't off-limits to her general interests.

"It is okay if I read these?" Elyse asked, softly, holding the books against her skin due to the plunging neckline.

Erwin turned to look at her and his eyes didn't betray any shock or surprise as he looked at the books in her arms.

Instead, he smiled as if he expected it.

"Of course, there is a comfortable couch right over there next to the window if you like." Erwin stated, turning his attention back to his newspaper.

Elyse nodded and took his advice. And, as always, he was right. The moment she settled on the couch, she felt like she was on a cloud. She opened one of the books, and she lost herself in the notions of European law, forgetting that she was about to face her worse reality in a couple of hours.

* * *

"Mrs. S-Miss Elyse." A voice called for her through her drowsy state. Elyse woke up, slowly, and she noticed Miss Rea's kind face staring down at her. Surprised, she sat up, quickly. A soft blanket fell from her shoulders and so did the heavy law back that was atop of her, opened.

"Oh! How long was I asleep?" Elyse asked, groggily, wiping her eyes gingerly, trying to not ruin her makeup as she removed gunk.

"We just landed, Miss Elyse. You were asleep for two hours I would say. You were very into Mr. Erwin's books I might add, but I guess sleep must've won." Miss Rea said, lightly, helping Elyse get up. Miss Rea folded the blanket and Elyse picked up the book that had fallen.

"We landed?" Elyse moaned, softly. "Yes, dear." Erwin's father's voice sounded from behind her and Elyse jumped, slightly, whipping around embarrassed.

"Erwin is waiting at the cockpit. He told me to inform you as soon as Rea woke you up. Here, dear, would you like to be escorted up there?" Her nice father-in-law offered.

Elyse shook her head, politely, "It's fine, Mr. Smith. I should be okay."

"You may call me, 'Vati', if it pleases you, child. It means-"

"Papa in German." Elyse finished, quietly. She put a hand on her mouth, horrified, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

The man laughed and waved her worry away, "No need for an apology, dear. I'm glad that you know your German. Your mother would've been very proud. Oh, and your uncle too!"

Elyse noticed that this was the second time the man in front of her mentioned her mother, and now her mother's brother, the one uncle she missed. She was about to ask him how he knew her mother and her side of the family, but the sound of clamoring outside took her attention away.

"Go now, dear. I shall see you and Erwin tomorrow for brunch. Rest easy tonight. Also, don't worry about the vermin outside. They are too nosy for their own good. Erwin will take care of it." Her father-in-law promised, winking at her. With a kiss on her cheek, he bid her goodbye as one of the bodyguards opened the cabin door for him.

The loud noise of the press got louder once it opened, and the door closed with a bang, silencing it by a fraction.

"Elyse." Erwin called for her, and Elyse hurriedly made her way to the cockpit.

Erwin looked devastatingly handsome in a white button down and a navy vest with a navy suit. He had a black tie with a silver belt clip adorning the ensemble. Black dress shoes that were shiny and untouched, Erwin was the epitome of perfection as he smoothed his blonde hair into place.

He turned towards her, and he looked her up and down with a calculated gaze. Elyse suddenly felt as if her father was looking at her, critically.

She prepared herself for an insult, but instead, she watched as Erwin's hand appeared in front of her.

"May I?" He asked, seeking permission to touch her. Elyse nodded, finding that her voice wasn't working for some odd reason.

His longs fingers took ahold of a stray strand of hair that managed to get out from behind her ear. He placed it back, and he retracted his hand, smoothly.

"There. Perfect." He stated, satisfied. Elyse blinked, not knowing how to respond to his compliment.

Erwin didn't wait for her. He straightened his own jacket for the last time before offering his arm to her. He smiled, encouragingly, and she tried to smile back, softly.

"Here we go." He stated, his eyes gleaming and Elyse couldn't help but think that this man certainly was crazy. He loved being in control, she realized. He was going to be in control in a matter of minutes, and it was going to be about their sham of a marriage.

Placing a hand on her stomach, the only thing that was keeping her going with this sickening reality, she took a deep breath as the cabin door opened.

* * *

There were so many lights, flashing, simply bright, and simply there. Elyse gripped Erwin's arm tighter, struggling to see where she was supposed to go. Erwin took the lead and placed what may have looked like a protective arm around her, but Elyse knew better. He was trying to help her not trip over due to her fragile pregnant state.

"Elyse! Elyse, look over here."

"You look lovely, Elyse. Smile for the camera!"

"Is it true that you were married two months ago?"

"How did you meet Erwin? How did you land him?"

The questions were relentless and Elyse was thankful that she managed to keep a small smile on her face as the cameras flashed at her and reporters screamed at her.

They arrived at the set up podium, easily, and Erwin helped her get up next to him as he stood behind the microphone, smiling at the crowd, maintaining a professional form.

"I would like to thank you all for being here today. I have called this press conference today to clear some questions and rumors about my relationship with the lovely Elyse Rose Jaeger Ackerman. Many of the press has accused her for 'trapping' me," This earned a few laughs from the press, "by me acting as what is called a 'sugar daddy' because she happens to be the daughter of a wealthy business partner of mine. Well, I am here to tell you that this is far from the truth."

"I met Elyse after her father introduced me to her. I was taken with her, immediately, and she with me. I approached her father to get his blessing, and he immediately approved. We were married secretly, two months ago, to continue tying loose ends of what we would have to leave behind. My wife," That sounded so foreign to her. He had said it so _intimately_ and the press was eating it up as far as Elyse was concerned, "was going to complete her training in Julliard, but to our pleasant surprise, we have recently found out that she is pregnant."

The press began to clamor at that, and Erwin let them for a while. He turned to Elyse, and she caught the act with a fake loving smile of her own. _Acting training or not, you are a good actor, Mr. Robot._

Erwin turned to face the press once more, a hand held up. The bodyguards were alert, ready to hold back any of the press.

"Elyse, my love, will you please stand up? Would you like to say a couple of words?" Erwin asked her, his gaze would look affectionate to anyone else, but Elyse was already used to his double meaning looks at this point. He held a hand towards her and she took a quick moment to assess the impromptu situation she was in.

He was encouraging her to talk so they would look more human. Elyse was taught this acting class. It was if she was a politician's wife, her job was to make her husband look normal as if he was more than a leadership figure.

So, she had no choice but to take the challenge.

She took his offered hand, lovingly, and pressed a kiss on his cheek as he drew her closer. She made sure that the eye contact she was giving him would look romantic on the covers of those annoying gossip magazines.

He led her towards the podium, and she kissed him on the cheek for another good measure.

"Thank you, love. Yes, I would just like to say that it's ironic, really. I was a simple girl before this, and I wasn't even aware that my husband here was one of Europe's most wanted bachelors, so I would like to apologize to the women out there." The press laughed at that, and Elyse reminded herself to thank her brother for his sarcastic self.

"What my husband said was correct except, well, for that fact that 'tying loose ends' sounds like such a scary phrase. It sounds like I had to murder some people to get to you, dear, when in reality, I just wanted to get to Paris to get on with our married life." Elyse giggled, the press starting to be enchanted by the cheeky heiress in front of them.

"Seems like it worked, being pregnant has forced me to cut my Julliard career off because I believe it's dangerous for a pregnant ballerina to fall, wouldn't you think? And really, we're just simple people who fell in love and want to get on with our lives especially now that we have a baby on the way. Thank you for the warm welcome back home, though. It's been so long since I saw my beloved Paris."

A reporter decided to shout a question then, "Does that mean you will be in Paris for a long time, Elyse?"

"Your outfit is undeniably Parisian. Who designed it?" Another reporter chimed in.

"Will you be attending Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week two weeks from now?"

The questions began to bombard her about her stay in Paris, and she felt bewildered. Were they not interested in the unexpected marriage anymore?

She decided to test the waters by offering a joke, "Does me attending the fashion shows have anything to do with my marriage and pregnancy?"

"Marriages of young women to older men happen all the time in Paris." A reporter shouted back, earning back loud laughs.

Elyse smiled and she glanced a look at Erwin. And she couldn't help but feel pride swell up in heart as he returned her glance with a proud smile of his own.

* * *

"You did well." Erwin offered, as they settled in the black town car. The reporters were pressed against the car, shouting at them, but Elyse simple smiled and waved as the car began to move.

"You planned that, didn't you?" Elyse asked, tiredly, slouching a little in her seat next to him.

Erwin simply smiled, offering nothing else. Oh well, Elyse was happy he didn't say anything else. Feeling drowsy from all the attention and time zone change.

She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

* * *

She was awakened by a slight nudge to her head, and Elyse opened her eyes and realized she had dozed off on Erwin's shoulder. She raised her head, quickly, flustered, and straightened her clothes and hair out.

And, oh god, was that dried up drool at the corner of her mouth?

Her suspicions were confirmed when she watched him wipe her drool off his shoulder, amused. She was horrified.

"Sorry." She mumbled, sheepishly. Erwin just chuckled and got out the car as soon as the driver opened the door for them. Erwin helped her out, and Elyse looked up.

Her mouth dropped in awe. In front of her was a gorgeous manor that was covered with ivy and flowers. The windows were historically old, but wide and open in a welcoming way. The wooden doors were brown and also weaved with breathtaking ivy. The only difference from a normal manor and this one was the open porch that seemed to be a new addition, but it didn't stick out like a sore thumb. It complimented the historic aesthetically pleasing manor, and Elyse couldn't wait to go in. She turned around and noticed the wide paved way that led to the manor, so she was grateful that it was private.

But then she realized, she heard…

She ran to the side of the manor, and she let out a happy squeal. Right next to the manor was the ocean, the waves hitting the rocks next to them was such a joyous sound to her ears.

She turned to Erwin, who was talking to the driver and handing him a tip as he placed their luggage down. Once the driver drove away, Erwin turned towards her and he looked at her bewildered.

He walked towards her, worried, "Elyse, is something the matter?"

It was then that Elyse realized she was crying. She wiped her cheeks, quickly, shaking her head with a smile.

"No, no, it's just…. This is beautiful, Erwin. I can't believe this is real." Elyse sighed, happily. Erwin smiled, his hands behind his back.

"I'm glad you like it. Shall we go inside?" Erwin asked, motioning towards the house. Elyse noticed that there was a group of people waiting for them outside. She also noticed that the luggage had magically disappeared from behind them.

She followed Erwin, wordlessly, and as they approached the group of people, she was surprised to see how young they all were.

"Elyse, this is Petra, my all-around assistant." Erwin introduced her to a petite, pretty blonde woman who smiled warmly at her.

The girl wore a simple white blouse and a black pencil skirt with black tights and black heels which symbolized her status as an assistant. She had short blonde hair and wide hazel eyes. Elyse liked the warmness she emitted.

"Hello, I'm Elyse. You were the one who chose these clothes for me, right? They're gorgeous." Elyse thanked, remembering her mental reminder.

Petra had blushed at that, bowing her head sheepishly, "Oh, yes, of course! Mr. Smith had showed me a picture of you and I knew that this would look beautiful on you."

Elyse had blushed shyly at that, not even trying to glance at Erwin after that. _How did he get a picture of me? I swear, Father really handed a file of me to him._

"This is Nifa, she will be your helper if you need anything and to also help you with the pregnancy and settling down here." Erwin continued, motioning to the petite girl next to Petra.

Elyse smiled at the shy girl. She had dark short hair and bangs and had a tiny figure. She wore glasses, but she wore a white shirt with a green jumper suit over it paired with white sneakers.

"Hello, Nifa. Pleasure to meet you. I already appreciate you for agreeing to help me." Elyse stated, her smile comforting.

The shy girl giggled and smiled, nervously, as she pushed her glasses up her nose. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Elyse."

"This is Eld and Gunther, they're actually here because they wanted to greet Levi's little sister. They were under your brother's leadership back when they were in the Army." Erwin stated, motioning to the two men that were behind the ladies.

"Hello there! We were excited to hear that Levi's little sister would be here. We had begged the Commander here to let us stop by and exchange our greetings with you." Eld, the tall blonde one stated, happily.

"Ah, yes! You are exactly how Levi explained. Such a small world. I wish I could've seen Levi's face when he found out that his Commander and his sister were into each other." Gunther guffawed, patting Erwin's stiff back.

Elyse noticed that they called Erwin, 'Commander', and she had turned to him with a questioning gaze even though she smiled at the men's polite excitement.

Erwin sighed and waved the men off, "Okay, okay. You said your greetings. I believe that Elyse will want to rest now. I'll see you both tomorrow morning."

That last part sounded like a warning, and Elyse felt bad when the two men exchanged sheepish grins with her.

"Our apologies, Elyse. We hope to see you soon." Eld stated, taking her hand and placing a small kiss on the back of it. Elyse laughed, "No need to apologize, Eld. I do hope to see you both soon."

Gunther mirrored his own apology and kissed her hand, "You are certainly a beauty. Nothing but the best for our Commander here. Congratulations once again on your pregnancy."

Elyse smiled, softly, at that. "Thank you, Gunther."

The men waved as they walked down the paved road, and Elyse waved back, gracefully.

"Elyse, follow me." Erwin ordered, and Elyse watched as Petra and Nifa made themselves scarce as they continued to go on about their business.

It was then that Elyse realized it was nearing evening time.

"Goodnight, you two." Elyse said, calling out to them. Both of them, surprised, smiled widely at her and bowed slightly before leaving.

 _A red carpet and bodyguards? Commander? And now, these girls are bowing towards me? Is Erwin royalty or not?_

Elyse mused at that, sarcastically. Her brother was really rubbing off on her.

The manor was two floors, and she was grateful for that. Her pregnancy would be terrible if she had to climb more than three sets of steps every day. She followed as Erwin introduced her to the living room, the two kitchens, and the two bathrooms in the lower level. They walked up the stairs, and she was overwhelmed by the additional rooms such as the spa room, the media room, the workout room, and the _liquor_ room. There were other rooms like four guest bedrooms and three other bathrooms. Her favorite room, the library, was gorgeous and huge. She then realized they entered the main part of the house which was the middle upper level and Erwin showed her his office.

It was breathtaking.

It was covered with wooden bookshelves all over, ladders that towered on the bookshelves made it all the more beautiful. His study was cluttered with paperwork and books. The fireplace was lit and in front of it were two large leather chairs on a plush red rug.

It wasn't her fahter's office. It wasn't pristine.

That comforted her.

He then motioned to the other door and stated that the door led to his room.

" _Your_ room?" Elyse asked, confused and nervous. She was reminded that they were married now. That meant sharing a room.

He promised her that she wouldn't be forced to do anything she didn't want to do in this marriage, and she had hoped he would keep that.

Erwin seemed to read her thoughts as he smiled down at her. He placed a large hand on the small of her back, and Elyse shook the feeling of nostalgia away.

He motioned to the door next to his office and he opened the door, "This is _your_ room."

Elyse looked around the majestic room with wide hazel eyes. It was painted a pastel lavender and the bay windows were draped with laced curtains. She had her own sitting room with bookshelves and a fireplace. A walk-in closet filled with clothes that 'Petra had also picked', according to Erwin, was hers to own. The king bed was fluffy and warm, a lace coverlet draping over the bed making her feel like it was truly meant for a ballerina.

"God, Erwin. This is too much. You did all of this in a day?" Elyse asked, awed.

Erwin shrugged at that, "I did mention that I knew Dr. Zoe, right? You have met them back in America. They're the one who sent their assistant, Molbit, here to attend to all of this."

Elyse widened her eyes at that and she softened, "You have many friends. You and my brother truly are loved."

Erwin didn't say anything to that. Instead, he motioned to the door connected to her room.

"Here, this is what caused last minute construction to be a hassle." Erwin sighed, teasingly as he opened the secret door.

Elyse walked inside and once the light illuminated the room, she gasped. The room was a nursey, a gigantic nursery that was filled with a crib, a diaper changing station, and toy boxes.

It was overwhelming.

"Oh, wow. You are so ready for this." Elyse let that slip out, not even caring if her voice was shaky or not.

Erwin's strong arm wrapped around her waist, and she looked up, surprised. He stared down at her, intensely, "Don't ever doubt that you won't be a good mother, Elyse. You may be young physically, yet age doesn't matter when it comes to loving someone." He placed a hand on her stomach, and it felt warm and steady.

By the way he was looking at her, Elyse wasn't sure if he was talking about the baby anymore.

She laughed, trying to hide her nerves, "I guess. Thank you for this, Erwin. Really. This is amazing." She stepped out of his hold to scan the rest of the room, trying to distract herself from his weird personality.

She noticed another door that led to the nursey, "Where does this lead to?"

Erwin walked up to it and opened it, with a smile. "My office. Just in case you need a break during the night when the baby is born. I'm mostly here compared to my room."

Elyse warmed at the gesture. She smiled at him, widely, and it seemed that it was too much for him so he looked away and coughed. She smiled even wider as she noticed a slight redness at in the slight pointed end of his ears.

 _At least we know that your father won't be absent, mon bebe. And that's enough for now._

* * *

A:N/ REVIEW PLS.

Mon bebe-my baby in French.

So. Many. Detail. In. This. Chapter. I just get so excited that sometimes I skip details and misspellings that I cringe when I re-read my chapters. This was 7k+ words, guys. I cannot. But, it was so worth it. Like I said, these chapters are going to get long, so hang in there.


	8. Chapter 8

A:N/ Elyse is my child. Everyone else is Isayama's children.

* * *

Elyse found herself mostly alone in the first three months of her pregnancy. Erwin was away a lot with business here and there. Elyse assumed it was because of the business venture he had mentioned to her father when he was arranging their marriage. She didn't mind that at all. She liked being home alone, and it was fun exploring the manor.

Her brother had shipped the sentimental trinkets she held dear and she decorated her room with the thank-you cards from her students back in Julliard and the trophies she won since the age of four. She had touched them, wistfully, realizing that she wouldn't be able to dance for a while.

She stared at the mirror sometimes, watching her stomach to see the process of the swelling. There was a medium bump and it was uncanny how it was just _there_ now. She found herself loving the maternity clothes that Petra had picked in her closet and she considered just hiring her as a personal stylist. But then again, technically, Erwin did.

Nifa was such a dear help to her. She began to open up to Elyse whenever they walked around Paris as Elyse relived her childhood with her. Gunther and Eld had visited once or twice for dinner when Erwin had come home early for the day.

Elyse noticed that they had stopped calling Erwin, 'Commander', and that Erwin wouldn't look her way whenever they came over which she was grateful for, and he talked to them with a relaxed yet stern look on his face. Sometimes, Elyse forgot that Erwin was only twenty-six years old with the way he carried himself.

Levi called regularly, and Elyse would tell him to come visit and talk about all the old landmarks that they had visited when they were kids.

"You know I wish I could, but there's a huge project I would like to finish up here before transferring to Germany." Levi told her once.

"Germany?" Elyse asked, surprised, a little excited.

"Yes, I'm going to start looking for him." Levi stated, nonchalantly. Elyse had dropped her tea at that and Nifa hurriedly left to clean up the mess as Elyse apologized profusely.

"Uncle? You're truly going to search for him?" Elyse asked, hopeful.

"Since the old man berated him, I'm making sure that uncle knows that we're old enough to reconnect with him without the old bastard interfering." Levi stated, angrily, his anger still there at his father for severing his connection with their mother's brother.

"Please tell me if you do find him and his wife. I would like to see him as soon as possible." Elyse pleaded.

"Focus on taking care of yourself, Elyse. But, yes, I'll tell you if I'm successful." Levi sighed.

That was the most interesting conversation they had. So, her brother was busy preparing for that now since he just finished his big project. She knew he was going to leave America soon. He missed Europe too much. Especially now that he had the free time to search for their uncle.

Freida ended up enjoying her time in the Hamptons and had apologized to Elyse for not visiting as soon as she could.

"Besides, you look even more gorgeous pregnant and standing next to you will make me feel horrible about myself." Freida whined, her teasing laugh still there.

Elyse rolled her eyes, but she smiled at her old roommate's humor.

"Enjoy your spring body as I waddle like a penguin in Paris." Elyse shot back.

"Oh! Is that sassiness I hear? Has Paris finally given my girl a backbone?" Freida teased.

"It's the baby. Literally making me use my backbone." Elyse complained. Freida couldn't stop laughing at that point.

They ended their conversations with Freida promising to visit as soon as the baby was born and Elyse told her that it would be okay for her to take her time.

"Oh, I see. You go _enjoy_ that beautiful manor with that husband of yours. Tell me, how many rooms did you _christen_ your marriage in?"

Elyse hung up at that point while Freida laughed.

Erwin's father had breakfast with them every now and then, and Elyse found herself at ease in his company. He would joke around and talk about business here and there, but he always never failed to dote on her every growing belly.

He had flown back to Germany once he settled the business here with her father about Mr. Garnier. They had reprimanded the man by suspending him, so there was that.

Erwin was more of a housekeeper in their estate. He would check in on her every now and then, but she barely saw him during the day and evening. He left early for work, before she would even wake up, and she would hear his office door close late at night when she was already getting ready for bed. She actually saw more of their bodyguards than him.

The library was good company, but three months after exploring the manor and reading in the library, Elyse was starting to get restless. Nifa had the day off, so Elyse thought it would be a good day to go out.

She got ready and decided to walk out in Paris to enjoy it for the day. Donning a white baby doll dress and jean jacket, Elyse put her sunglasses on and was putting her sandals on until a hand grabbed her by the elbow.

"Miss Elyse, are you planning to go out?" A bodyguard, she remembered that his name was Dieter, asked her, coming out of nowhere. Elyse jumped back a little, startled.

"Y-yes, I am. Did my husband tell you to accompany me when I go out?" She asked, warily, realizing that Erwin didn't let any detail go unnoticed when it comes to their privacy.

Dieter nodded and he opened the door for her as she walked towards the black town car that waited for her. The bodyguard opened the door and she went inside, gathering the material of her dress so the door wouldn't slam on it. Dieter made sure she was in safely before he got into the passenger seat next to the driver.

"Where to, Miss Elyse?" The driver asked, politely.

"Palais Garnier, if you please." Elyse asked, meekly, not using to giving orders to people. The driver nodded, pulling out of the long winding road that led out of the estate.

When they arrived, the bodyguard helped her out of the car, gingerly. Elyse didn't expect the paparazzi following after her.

"Miss Elyse! Over here!"

"You look gorgeous with that baby bump. How far along are you?"

"Why are you at the Palais Garnier? Is something special happening?"

"How is being back in Paris?"

Her bodyguard was blocking her, and Elyse now realized why Erwin was adamant of the security detail as she held on to the back of her bodyguard's suit.

Before she knew it, a paparazzo managed to duck in the shield and ambush her with his camera. She almost fell, but thankfully, her bodyguard stepped in and caught her.

"That's enough." Dieter, grunted, helping Elyse walk back to the car. Elyse was grateful that he made the call because as soon as the door closed, citizens and tourists were surrounding the car. The driver skillfully evaded the people and she took a deep breath as they drove off.

"Thank you so much, Dieter. I didn't realize that it would be that crazy." Elyse said, a bit dismayed that she would have to go back home.

Dieter cleared his throat, "If I may be so bold to suggest another place that is popular for famous people to go to in order to relax, there is a little farmer's market down the estate if you want to check that out."

Elyse's face brightened at that and she smiled, widely, "You may be so bold, Dieter. Driver, let Dieter show you the way."

* * *

It was almost dark when Elyse arrived home. She had such a great time. Dieter was right, the farmer's market had been far from society, so no one recognized who she was there and she got to enjoy and buy fruits and vegetables. Especially the pickles she craved.

She thanked Dieter who nodded his head as he returned back to his post. Walking inside the house, she noticed that the lights were on and she realized that Erwin must be back home. She was surprised. He was early.

"Elyse." His voice commanded her attention, and she shivered at the usual effect his voice had on her. It made her terrified and comforted at the same time.

She turned around and she noticed that was sitting in the living room, his gaze looking out the bay window facing the ocean side of their manor.

"Hey, I didn't know you'd be home early. I would have made sure to— "

"Why didn't you call me about your paparazzi incident?" Erwin asked, interrupting her.

Elyse widened her eyes in mild surprise at his sudden interruption.

"I-I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to go out?" She asked, confused.

Erwin sighed, getting up from the chair and he turned to face her. Once again, Elyse was floored at his presence, always intimidating and beckoning. He walked towards her and she mentally prepared herself for his intense stares and witty conversation.

He surprised her even more as he placed a hand on her back and the other on her stomach, _inspecting_ her. He gazed intensely at her bump, and for the first time since she reached the three-month mark, Elyse wished her stomach bump would disappear.

"Tell me how I had to watch you almost falling on the ground on television back at the office. Remind me to give Dieter a raise by the way." Erwin continued, his gaze never faltering and his hands steady and warm on her body.

Elyse sighed, wearily, getting tired of his protectiveness already, "Erwin, I didn't realize it would be such a big deal. Dieter was there, like you saw."

Erwin silenced her with a look. He retracted his hands as he grabbed his phone from his pocket. He began to dial a number and as he waited for someone to answer, he looked pointedly at her, "I'm taking a day off and I'm taking you to Hange tomorrow."

Appalled, she tried to protest, but he left quickly to go upstairs and she heard the familiar click of his office door, closing.

Suddenly very tired, Elyse decided to retire early. Too tried to even argue with Erwin anymore, she was very grateful that she barely saw the man because that mean she'd be tired everyday of her life.

* * *

Erwin was the one knock at her door to wake her up, and Elyse got ready, begrudgingly. Was there even light outside? This man and his ungodly morning hours.

She met him at the door, and he offered her his hand and she took it, slightly grateful for it. She was starting to waddle a little due to the pregnancy and she had only noticed yesterday during her time in the farmer's market that her feet were beginning to swell.

He helped her get inside the car, and once he was satisfied that she was comfortable, he got into the driver's seat and began to drive.

The ride to the city was a little quiet, and Elyse enjoyed the classical music that sounded in the car. He nudged her awake when they got there, and Elyse looked outside, curiously, noticing that Dr. Zoe's office in Paris seemed a bit out of place in the city especially that the office was tiny compared to the one back in New York.

They walked inside, and Elyse was pleasantly surprised to see that there was no waiting room and just Dr. Zoe's office with a table and ultrasound prepared.

"Well, hello there! Commander handsome and the cheery Ackerman here to save me from my boredom." The doctor greeted them, enthusiastically. Elyse's eyes widened when she watched Dr. Zoe fly into Erwin's chest, hugging the large man tightly. She didn't know how to react when Erwin hugged her back.

"Nice to see you too, Hange." Erwin greeted, smiling politely as he patted the doctor's head. Elyse wasn't sure what surprised her anymore with this man.

Dr. Zoe let go of Erwin and she motioned for Elyse to sit on the examination chair that was prepared for her.

"You are positively glowing now that you are showing, little Ely." Dr. Zoe complimented the young woman as she sat on the chair, getting ready for the gel to be put on her stomach.

"Funny, my friend said that when I sent her a picture of myself." Elyse mused, thinking back on how Freida complained about how Elyse would never be ugly.

"It's a known medical fact, dearie."

Elyse smiled, tiredly, already drained from the doctor's relentless energy.

Erwin sat on the chair next to Dr. Zoe's and he picked up a medical journal on her table, casually, and began to read it. _They must be really good friends._ Elyse couldn't help but smile at the thought. Levi and Dr. Zoe did seem like weird companions for a man like Erwin.

Dr. Zoe continued on with her examination, asking Elyse the right medical questions and Elyse answered the best she could. It was now time for the ultrasound and Elyse bit her lip in nervousness. The gel was chilly once more, but Elyse welcomed the feeling as the transducer probe was placed on her stomach.

"It should be easy to find the baby now. There! You can see the baby's form now." Dr. Zoe gushed, pointing to the screen.

Erwin looks up from reading and he gets up to join Elyse as they both stare at the image in awe.

"Still so little." Elyse mused, tracing her fingers along the screen. Erwin, close, hummed in agreement, and he placed a hand on her back as a comforting gesture and she warmed at the feeling, thankful that he wasn't going to fuss about the almost accident from yesterday.

"Well, there's the last little detail about the gender. Do you want to know?" Dr. Zoe asked them, smiling.

Erwin turns to look at Elyse who is staring at her stomach, trying to let all the information about the baby sink in. Did she want to know? It still didn't feel real sometimes, and if she was being honest, she still wanted to be in her little state of denial about it.

So, she shook her head, weary, "Let's keep it a mystery for now."

Erwin takes it with stride and nods in agreement.

Dr. Zoe nods, "Okay, well, everything is well. The baby is healthy and so are you Elyse."

The doctor winks at Elyse and Elyse smiles back, letting a protective hand fall on her stomach, reveling in her uncomforting thoughts.

The Smiths begin to take their leave and they were about to leave until Dr. Zoe called out to them.

"By the way, thanks for flying me in on that amazing jet of yours. Slept like a baby."

Elyse turns to Erwin, shocked. He had flown Dr. Zoe in just for a simple check-up on their baby. She watched as Erwin didn't even glance at her as he smiled at his friend, "Anytime, Hange."

When they entered the car, Elyse turns to confront Erwin, looking at his profile, "We could've seen a doctor who was available here. There was no need to bother Dr. Zoe out of her busy schedule."

"I don't trust anyone but Hange. I'm sure your brother would also agree with me. They served together, you know. They were the squad leaders of their own army squad."

"It doesn't matter, Erwin," Elyse was tired of him trying to change the subject when he wanted to, "There's no need to bother anyone about this."

The rest of the ride grew silent and Elyse watched as Erwin tightened his hands around the steering wheel.

After a while, they arrived at their manor with Erwin making a sharp stop in front. He shuts off the car and he turns to face her, his serious gaze intimidating.

"I want nothing but the best for my child. I will do everything in my power to keep it that way, Elyse." With that said, he left no room for arguments as he helped her out the car and into the house, swiftly.

"I'll be in my office if you need me. I gave Nifa the day off again." Erwin informs her, helping her up the stair.

She nods in acknowledgement, and Erwin turns to take his leave as he walks towards his office.

She turns to enter her own room with a deep sigh. Once she relaxes on her bed after peeling off her layers of clothing, his gaze in her memory from the moment before had scared her, but his words softened her, but the intensity of it all made her uncomfortable. He was certainly being a bit much.

She grabbed her phone off her nightstand and checked to see if she missed anything.

She got up, quickly, realizing she missed ten phone calls from her aunt. Her heart began to beat faster, worried and tense. She called her back, and the moment her aunt picked up.

Elyse felt her heart drop.

"E-Elyse, oh my darling girl, It's about your uncle." Her aunt sobbed through the phone.

"What happened, tante? Please take deep breaths— "

"Your uncle. He's dead. His heart has failed."

That's when the Parisian thunder sounded and Elyse found it matching the sound of her breaking heart.

* * *

Erwin was more than helpful when he heard the news from Elyse's trembling lips. He had stood up from his office chair and he embraced her, tightly, soothing her. Elyse lost herself in his strong arms and she began to sob, quietly.

He had promised to do what he could as he let her go, and Elyse thanked him. Her aunt informed her that the funeral was to take place in Paris because he had wished to be put to rest in the cemetery their two stillborn children were buried.

Elyse's heart couldn't take the sadness in her aunt's voice as she broke into another cry at that.

Elyse contacted her father and he confirmed that he will be flying in after a meeting in New York.

"I'm sorry for your loss, papa." Elyse said, quietly.

"It is life, dear. Make sure your aunt is comforted once she arrives." Her father said, betraying no emotion. Elyse closed her eyes at that.

"Of course, papa. See you soon."

The next person she had tried to contact was her brother, but after she had gotten off the phone with her aunt, she received a text from him.

 _I know. I want to be left alone._

Elyse tried to give her brother space, knowing how much this was affecting him. She couldn't leave him alone, but he was true to his word. His phone was shut off.

The next day, her aunt arrived at the estate and Elyse found that her stomach had grew in her six-month stage. Her happiness was replaced with sadness and the realization that the child wouldn't get to know her father. One that had been so good to her.

Erwin also greeted her aunt. He shared his condolences and he was the one who personally made sure that she was settled in one of their guest rooms before they talked about the funeral arrangements.

Erwin suggested to Elyse to get some refreshments for them. Her aunt smiled at Elyse, encouraging her to follow her husband's suggestion.

"I would like some tea, ma petite." Her aunt requested, politely, and Elyse went to get it ready.

She had come back moments later with a tray of refreshments and noticed that the funeral arrangement talk seemed to be over. Her aunt had thanked her for the tea and they all sat around, Elyse and her aunt reminiscing while Erwin politely listened and asked the appropriate questions.

It wasn't long before her aunt announced that she was tired. Elyse immediately got up to escort her aunt and Erwin said he would be in his office after he took the tray of unclean dishes into the kitchen. He kissed her aunt's cheek and she patted his cheek, affectionately, wishing him goodnight and thanking him.

After Elyse made sure her aunt was settled in, she turned her attention to Erwin's office before she entered her room. She hesitated, but she needed to make sure that Erwin knew how grateful she was to him for being so kind about her aunt and the whole situation. She took a deep breath and walked towards his office and knocked, politely.

The door opened revealing the pretty petite assistant of her husband, Petra. Petra smiled at Elyse in greeting.

"Hello, Petra." Elyse greeted, pleasantly surprised, "Did you just arrive? Did you eat? Oh god, were you here the whole time?"

Elyse began to freak out and think of how horrible a host she was until Petra calmed her down, "No, no. I did just arrive. Mr. Smith let me in because I had called him when he happened to be in the kitchen. It's okay, Miss Elyse. You're fine."

Elyse breathed a sigh of relief and she remembered why she was here since Petra mentioned the man who made everything seem possible. She walked in after being ushered in by Petra and she noticed the large stack of paperwork on his desk and she couldn't even see him at all.

He came into view once he stood up and he had papers in his hand, his penetrating stare almost burning a hole in the paperwork.

"Elyse? Is there a problem?" He asked, still staring at the paperwork in hand.

"No, I-I just didn't get to say thank you for accommodating my aunt. It truly means so much to me, Erwin." Elyse thanked, placing a hand on her stomach. It started becoming a habit when she became nervous.

Erwin nodded, nonchalantly, still not even looking at her, "Of course, Elyse. It is your family after all. I know how much your family means to you and Erwin. Especially how much your uncle meant." That's when he smiled at her direction and Elyse smiled back, completely floored at how handsome he was. He looked away after that, turning serious once more.

Erwin turned back to Petra, who was silently smiling at them, waiting for her boss's direction.

"Make sure this goes to the billing department tomorrow morning. Also, I want Eld on this project. Gunther will help me on the other one. Elyse, if you'll excuse me, I have so much work to do and I would hate to continue being rude to you." Erwin said, turning to her apologetically.

Elyse nodded, an understanding look on her face. She turned to leave until Erwin grabbed her elbow, pulling her softly towards him. He wrapped an arm around her waist to do what he usually has been doing, placing a hand on her stomach. This time, he was stroking it with his calloused thumb through the thin fabric of her blouse.

Elyse blushed, but Erwin wasn't even looking at her face as he stared at her stomach, with a small smile on his face.

"Before I forget," He chose to look up at her, his face resuming his stoic nonchalance, "Your father will be at my company tomorrow, so I'll be arriving with him here after work. The guest room should be prepared, thanks to Petra. Also, please don't stress about the food. Nifa should be having help prepare tomorrow."

He let her go then, placing one small kiss on the back of her hand. That gesture should've taken her by surprise and have her getting all flustered, but she was busy being angry.

Beyond pissed.

"Why do you insist on treating me like a child? Petra and Nifa do wonderful jobs, but you need to give them breaks also. I can prepare a guest room and I can cook meals. I don't— "

"Elyse." He interrupted her, his gaze foreboding and carried a warning, "You need to relax at this stressful time. Your aunt needs you more than you attending to trivial matter that can be taken care by with staff that I hired."

Elyse, starting to get a bit angrier, pointed her chin at him, challenging. She was so weary of being restless and bored of her life. She wasn't allowed to do _anything_ because Erwin treated her like she was some fragile little girl that needed to be tended to every waking moment.

Enough was enough.

"My aunt will also want to be distracted. Let us cook. Let us clean. Let us go out. Let us _do_ something. _Let me breathe_." Elyse said, loudly, clearly exasperated and done. She didn't even expect to get that loud, but she was tired of it being kept in.

Poor Petra, who had enjoyed watching the lovely couple in front of her be cordial, froze, awkwardly, her eyes widening as soon as Elyse's voice rose.

Erwin's gaze darkened, his lips curled in distaste, and Elyse felt like she had finally hit a chink in his smooth armor, "I'll have a driver take you around then. See the sights inside the car."

Elyse angrily opened her mouth to retort back, but Erwin glared at her even more and her mouth snapped shut. She let out a small exasperated growl and threw her hands up in the air, giving up.

Before she could take a breather and calm herself, she cursed at him.

"Fuck you, Erwin."

She whipped his office door open and walked out, quickly, before she could hear his response. She was angry, and even if she was shocked at what she did, she felt a sick feeling of victory once she retired to her room.

He was always being perfect, and Elyse tried to do the same, but it seemed that she wasn't okay with it. Her lips curled into a small smile before she drifted off to sleep, finally able to relax since she finally spoke her mind.

 _That's right. Fuck you, Erwin._

* * *

A couple days after, the funeral was going to be on the day after and Elyse had been busying herself with preparing for it, even her aunt welcomed the distraction. Elyse felt liberated after she told Erwin off. Her father did come home with Erwin the next day after Erwin and Elyse's tense argument.

As expected, her father enjoyed the liquor room in their estate and she was grateful that Erwin joined him in there most days. She wanted to avoid him anyway.

The day of the viewing and the funeral, Elyse sat down next to her sobbing aunt as they arrived at the venue for the open casket viewing. Erwin sat next to her, talking with the guests and making sure that everything was going smoothly. Her father was doing the same except he was doing it with a flask of vodka in hand.

Elyse knew her father may be a brute most of the time, but she knew he must be struggling after losing a good friend like her uncle. Her uncle was one of few who could deal with him; they had served together in the German Army once upon a time. Her father was the one who introduced her uncle to her aunt, too, if what she was told was true.

She refused to view the body. She didn't want to remember her smiling and laughing uncle who argued about European politics with her as a decaying body. He had been so full of life and so encouraging of her love for the arts.

She still hadn't cried yet, and it bothered her. She found herself more distracted with comforting her aunt and wondering where her brother is.

He still hadn't respond to her, and she was starting to grow worried.

The viewing ceremony ended and she helped her aunt get into the car as they made their way to the cemetery for the burial. They both sat quietly and Elyse began to think more about where her brother could be.

"He said he would be at the ceremony for the burial, Ely. He'll be there." Her aunt stated, sadly, she sighed, "He really loved your uncle, my poor mon petite."

She began to tear slightly and nodded, silently. _It's still not fair though. Levi gets to be excused for missing uncle's viewing, but I had to sit there, suffering._

Elyse paused and began to mentally kick herself, _Stop being bitter, Elyse. You know you have to be here. You have to be strong for Auntie._

She held her aunt's hand and squeezed, reassuringly.

Everyone arrived and gathered at the site. The ceremony of closing the casket happened as her uncle's old German comrades set the casket down, unfolding the German flag to place it carefully down on the casket. Everyone began to pass, placing white roses on the casket. Elyse was one of the last ones and she brushed her fingers along the German flag, remembering how he would tell her stories about his service. Her brother had joined the German army because of his influence. She closed her eyes, realizing that it _would_ be very had for her brother to be here.

As they began to lower the casket in the ground, Elyse suddenly felt a presence behind her and she recognizes her brother's form as he walks towards the lowering casket. He was fiddling with the white rose before he threw it in. The trumpets began to sound and in one fluid motion, Levi stood his ground, firmly, and saluted.

Elyse heard something shift behind her and she saw that her father followed suit. Erwin followed, soon after, confirming Elyse's suspicions of him serving in the German Army. Eld and Gunther followed their once squad leader, saluting with him. That's when Elyse noticed that every man who had served with her uncle saluting as the gravediggers began to shovel dirt in the ground as the trumpets played.

That's when she began to cry.

* * *

After the burial, she hands her aunt to her father who leads her to the car. Elyse turns back around to where her brother was. He was leaning forward, his hand on his uncle's headstone.

"Hey." Elyse greeted, softly, standing beside him.

"Hey, Ely." Levi replied, his voice void of any emotion.

It's a peaceful quiet for a moment and Levi finally gets up and he turns to his sister, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of her stomach.

"It's been that long?" He mused, placing a curious hand on her stomach.

"A couple of months, don't be so dramatic." Elyse teased, linking her arm through his so they could start walking back to the cars.

"How's married life with Erwin?" Levi asked, staring at Erwin who was busy saying goodbye to the guests.

"In a word? Unexpected." Elyse sighed, frowning at the memory of Erwin's glare darkening.

"Ironic when you're expecting." Levi stated, still staring at her stomach in awe.

Elyse laughed at that, finally feeling happy since her restless life in Paris dragged her down.

* * *

The reception was held back at the Erwin and her manor. Since she was avoiding Erwin and wanting to prove him wrong, she had gone back against his orders and had helped an anxious Nifa prepare for the reception. She never felt so powerful.

The reception went just as well as the viewing and the burial did, but what surprised Elyse as she returned to the living room from the kitchen was seeing her aunt and her father with luggage, ready to leave.

"You're returning to America already?" Elyse asked, suddenly feeling sad. Her aunt smiled at her and pulled her aside, "No, ma petite. I actually will be living in Paris."

Elyse smiled widely at that, comforted at the thought.

"I have a small house that will only be a few minutes away. Your father will help me settle there and then he will go to the airport to travel back to New York." Her aunt continued, squeezing Elyse's hand in comfort.

"When did you buy a house here?" Elyse asked, excited.

Her aunt motioned to Erwin who was conversing with Levi and their father, "Your wonderful husband set it all up. He bought it for the baby and me. He also paid for all the funeral expenses."

Elyse froze. Her heart fluttered as she turned to look at Erwin, who happened to glance her direction at the same time. She looked down, abashed. _God, I'm an asshole._

Her aunt smiled at her, playing with a strand of Elyse's hair, "I won't lie. I worried about your new life with a stranger, but he is such a wonderful man, Elyse. I have no doubt about it now."

Elyse nodded, silently, kissing her aunt's cheek goodbye. She walked back to the men to kiss her father goodbye.

"Call me when you land, papa." Elyse offered, lamely, as she watched her aunt say goodbye to Erwin, patting his cheek affectionately as Erwin smiled down at her.

Her father merely grunted in response as he picked up the luggage. He gave a sharp nod at Levi and Levi returned it.

Her aunt kissed Levi's cheek and he smiled at her, rubbing her belly, "I'll visit you soon, tante." He promised.

They all watched as the car disappeared and left down the winding road. Elyse stayed a bit longer, her heart still hurting having to say goodbye to other family members after saying her true goodbyes to her uncle.

Erwin and Levi had already headed back inside, talking over their drinks, until Elyse came back inside, still nervous about what her aunt said about Erwin.

Levi looked up at her and she is taken aback by how suddenly weary he looked.

"Erwin, Elyse, I need to speak to the both of you." Levi stated, his voice serious. Elyse casted a worried look at her brother, "Sure, here. Let's sit in the living room."

Erwin agrees with a nod and he gives her a quick glance. She looks away, still feeling annoyed and guilty all the same. She swears she hears him sigh in slight annoyance, but she ignores it.

It would be weird if Levi didn't see the interaction, but Elyse assumed he did, yet he didn't say anything about it as expected. He sits on one of the chairs and Erwin sat on the chair next to his while Elyse sat on the couch across from the seats.

Levi took a long gulp from his drink and he set the empty glass on the table in the middle.

"So, Erwin, remember I told you how I had an uncle back in Germany who was the last link to my mother? How my father and he got into a fight, and my sister and I never saw our uncle or his wife ever again?"

Erwin kept glancing at her direction, but he Elyse didn't return his glance. So, Erwin hesitated, but nodded, slowly, taking a sip of his own drink.

"I recently told Elyse that I was going back to Germany to search for him, and I did. It took a while. I found out that my uncle and his wife moved a lot due to him being a traveling doctor, helping neighboring small, rural towns. I finally was able to track down the last town that they were in and knocked on an old woman's house, asking her about him."

Elyse listened, carefully, her fingers anxious on her lap, fiddling with the lace of her black dress.

"The old woman was bewildered and then she threw her arms around me, thanking me in German. She said that I was a Godsend and led me inside her tiny house. The first thing I noticed was a small crib with a crying baby. I approached it since the old lady pulled me towards the crib."

Levi looked at Elyse, straight at her and her heart began to beat, quickly.

"The baby…The baby looks exactly like a Jaeger. I remember mother having brown hair and green eyes and so did uncle. This baby has those same exact features, and that's when I realized that something terrible must've happened. I asked the lady to explain what had happened, and she began to tell her story of how the baby's mother died during childbirth. She said that uncle was the one who delivered his own child, but when he lost his wife because of it, he became reclusive. The village began to worry about him especially the baby since all they would hear were the cries of the child throughout the whole night. One day, the old lady had been worried and tried to bring some food into the house. She knocked, but all she could hear was silence. It wasn't until she heard the baby's cries that she asked for help to knock down the door."

Elyse began to dread the next part of the story, her eyes finding Erwin's, willing to set her stubbornness aside to shoot him a concerned look. Erwin, noticing the change in their relationship for the moment, shot her a reassuring one.

"The men of the village were able to knock the door down and they stepped in. To their horror, they realized that no one had been in the house for a while except for the baby. So, the old lady did her best to feed the tiny thing, and it did work, but she was still concerned about uncle. She swore that he had disappeared overnight and there was a search party for him."

Levi paused to take another sip from his drink.

"She went to pick up the baby and she placed it in my arms. That's when I noticed that it was a boy, a newborn baby boy. She asked me how I knew the doctor and I told her that he was my uncle. She began to cry then, saying that God must've sent me since I was this baby's cousin. She begged me to take him away from the village, saying that the elders of the village were considering to kill him because of the cries he screams at night. She said she had no strength to take care of babies anymore."

"…What did you do?" Elyse asked, finally, after a moment of silence. She watched as her brother stared at her, carefully, leaning forward.

"I…I took him. I brought him back to my rented house in Germany and…I had hired a nanny to watch over him as I also hired a private doctor to check on the child while I bought…supplies? God, I don't even know what I bought." Levi groused, placing a hand on his face.

"This is the thing. Elyse, Erwin, I know this will be a lot to ask, but right now, I'm concerned for uncle and I believe that I have to keep looking. But, the baby can't be with me. I'm not fit to be a…parent. And God knows that the baby needs one right now. And I'm not about to send one of our family members to the foster system."

Elyse paused, her eyes widening and her heart beating, quicker, "Are-Are you asking us to…?"

Levi nodded, solemnly, side-eyeing Erwin, who's face was unreadable at the moment.

"I'm asking if you could take care of the baby. It's not a weird request, I mean, you guys are expecting one of your own. You can do this as…practice." Levi offered the last part, lamely, throwing back his drink in one smooth gulp.

Elyse had to remind herself to breathe. _A baby boy? My cousin? Oh god. Would I be able to do this?_

She couldn't help but think of how Erwin and her were still in a weird place right now, and she thought about how they weren't even truly husband and wife, more like a picture perfect type of family that happened to be brought together because of one mistake-and oh my God, all she could think about that poor baby boy, crying in the village through the night, hungry and alone.

"Did you bring him to Paris?" Elyse asked, suddenly, realizing that her brother had brought the baby back with him everywhere.

Levi nodded, "Once Auntie contacted me about Uncle, I hired a nanny to travel with me. Like I said, so much shit was happening and I had no clue how to go about it."

The doorbell to the manor rang and Elyse and Erwin looked at the door, surprised.

"Speak of the devil." Levi muttered, standing up and walking to the door. He opened the door, revealing a middle-aged woman who seemed to be holding a small bundle.

"Hello, Mr. Ackerman. I am here, just like you asked." The woman stated, her French accent pretty pronounced.

Levi thanked her, "Here, tell the driver to take you back to the hotel. You brought his stuff? Good. Thank you again."

He closed the door, a nursery bag on his shoulder, and a bundle in his arms. It was uncanny how shocking the appearance looked on Levi. Even Elyse felt her heart soften at the view.

But, then, she remembered the baby in her brother's arms, so she stood up and carefully approached the baby. Levi tilted the bundle so Elyse could see.

What she saw took her breath away. He should be a couple of weeks old, still tiny and skinny. It was expected since her brother said that he had been starving for a while. He had a tuff of dark hair and slightly tanned skin. His eyes opened then, staring at her. Green as emeralds, a mirror image of a family portrait she used to stare at when she was a little girl.

She had once prayed for eyes like that.

"His name?" Elyse asked, finally asking the question that would make this baby a realistic human being in this estate.

"The lady said his name was Eren. Eren Jaeger."

Before she knew it, she took the baby from her brother's arms and the baby cuddled in her arms, cooing and yawning.

That's when her heart knew.

A large hand was placed on her shoulder and she looked up, her eyes staring back at encouraging baby blues.

He nodded at her, his face having a slight smile of amusement as if he knew what she was going to tell her brother. Elyse, forgetting their tension and their fight, smiled, relieved and grateful.

She turned to her brother, and she could see her brother's eyes lit up in at the sight in front of him. She blushed, seeing what he could see. Erwin, standing behind her, with a protective hand on her shoulder as she held a baby in her arms while she was pregnant with one.

A picture of a perfect family.

Levi didn't even have to ask. Elyse smiled at her brother, and then at the baby in her arms.

"We'll do it. We'll take care of Eren."

* * *

A:N/ DID YOU SEE THAT TWIST OR NAH? PLEASE SCREAM WITH ME IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.


	9. Chapter 9

A:N/ I own Elyse. I wish I owned Erwin and the others, but I do not.

Timeline: Elyse is three months pregnant and has just adopted couple weeks old baby Eren.

Her aunt is six and a half months pregnant and has lost her husband to a heart attack.

Levi is going back to Germany to search for his uncle.

Freida is enjoying the Hamptons.

Elyse and Levi's father is in New York, building a business empire.

Erwin is a secretive son of a handsome Adonis, so there's that.

* * *

Elyse found herself busy with setting up the nursery with another crib. She was thankful that Nifa was around as she helped with Eren. Erwin had spared no expense when it came to baby supplies.

Once Elyse confirmed that they would be taking care of Eren, Levi had sagged a bit in relief, and she realized that his weariness must've been caused by the baby.

She smiled, amused, and he shot her a glare in return. He had said goodbye then, thanking Erwin for letting him borrow their driver. He kissed Elyse's cheek and placed a heavy hand on Eren's head, giving him a gentle pat.

Erwin walked him out, their voices low in conversation. Elyse watched them while involuntarily rocking Eren as he began to grow a bit fussy.

She watched as Levi whispered something to Erwin and he nodded, shooting a look at Elyse, and not for the first time, she wished she knew what they were talking about. Erwin clapped a hand on Levi's back and Levi glared at the smiling Erwin as he coughed, sharply, at the motion.

"I'll be updating you as soon as I can." Levi promised, putting his jacket on and giving Elyse a small wave.

Elyse bit her lip, the bundle suddenly feeling very heavy in her arms as she watched her brother leave.

Erwin turned to her then, his gaze studying her. Elyse sighed then, looking down at Eren, who stared at her, his small body fussing even more as he raised his tiny arms and shuddered.

"Truce?" Erwin's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up in surprise, noticing that he was merely inches away from her. He placed his large hand, gently, on Eren's body and she noticed that Eren was barely bigger than it.

Eren took one of Erwin's fingers, and Elyse's heart tightened as she watched him grasp it, tightly, his tiny hands growing slightly pale with the pressure.

Elyse looked up then and her guilt came rushing back as she studied his face. Erwin wasn't looking at her at all. For once, that serious contemplative gaze he always had on his face was gone, replaced with the simple awe he had as Eren's hand tightly grasped his finger.

"Truce." Elyse whispered, softly, slightly apologetic.

And when Erwin looked up at her, he smiled, and for once, Elyse thought it sincere.

That had been a week ago, the crib that was supposed to be for their baby was taken by Eren, but the baby stuff had finally arrived and Elyse was more than ecstatic to ready the nursery for another baby.

She was tired of doing nothing and her pregnancy was starting to get her cranky. Her aunt was going to come over today and Elyse was more than ready to break the news about what happened.

But, her aunt had walked in, demanding to see Eren, out-of-breath and desperate. Elyse, dumbfounded, cursed her brother, silently, remembering that he must've went to their aunt for advice about Eren.

Elyse led her aunt upstairs into the nursery and her aunt rushed to the crib used by the sleeping Eren.

"He looks like a Jaeger. Your uncle and mother have the same nose and cheeks." Her aunt mused, trailing her finger on Eren's smooth cheek and he stretched then, a small smile on his face.

Elyse found herself falling in love more with the tiny boy. Eren had been a hassle at first. Levi was right about his stories. Eren was a crier, and it kept Elyse up all night most of the time. Erwin didn't fuss about her anymore, much to her relief. He simply joined her when he could, helping Elyse when he could with simple errands like warming a bottle and placing the dirty bottles in the sterilizer.

The fact that he was still a huge help made Elyse extremely grateful for Erwin's sense of duty. The man may be undeniably frustrating to deal with, but he was great with Eren.

She had struggled with diaper duty. Oh, god, diaper duty. Erwin, the calculating bastard, somehow avoided Eren's dirty diapers, leaving Elyse to deal with them.

Nifa had offered to help Elyse more than once, but Elyse refused, politely. She was going to be a mother and she needed to learn how to-

 _I'm already a mother._

The thought imploded in her mind, leaving her in awe as she watched her aunt coo at Eren.

She was a mother to Eren, and she still hadn't been ready to accept her baby in her stomach. Panic and anxiety seized her and her hands flew to her stomach, willing to calm herself down.

 _Elyse, stop being a baby. You have one to take care of and another to wait for. You can't afford to be weak-willed right now. You knew you were going to be a mother. You are one now. Accept it._

She repeated that mantra until she felt her heart calm down, her breathing helping her.

"Elyse, is everything okay?" Her aunt asked, tearing her gaze away from the baby to look at her visibly pale niece.

"I-I'm fine. I haven't been sleeping well lately. That's all." Elyse explained, finally calm enough to respond.

Her aunt nodded, and she placed Eren back in the crib.

"I can't believe the things that are happening. Your uncle passing away, and now your mother's nephew, your own cousin, is here under your roof, the poor child." Her aunt whispered, clutching her stomach.

Elyse sighed, she still couldn't believe it either.

Elyse was so lost in thought that she didn't realize that her aunt had paled and was clutching her stomach, tightly.

"E-Elyse." Her aunt called, weakly. Elyse looked up and her eyes widened in horror when she saw her aunt barely standing as blood pooled below her.

"Oh my god, oh my god. NIFA! DIETER! ANYONE, SOMEBODY HELP." Elyse screamed, reaching out for her aunt and trying to move her to sit on a chair.

As she heard the pounding footsteps coming up the stairs, Elyse placed a hand over her aunt's and prayed, no, pleaded, that no tragedy would hit her family once more.

* * *

They wouldn't let her be with her aunt. The hospital staff pleaded for her to wait in the waiting room and Elyse had no choice but to comply when they carried her out.

She walked to the waiting room in a daze where Nifa and Dieter were waiting for her. Dieter went to her side immediately, grabbing her arm gently and placing an arm around her waist to lead her. She relied on the hold and she felt herself falling, but for the second time, Dieter caught her and Nifa let out a gasp at the sight of Elyse's distress.

"Miss Elyse. I called Petra to inform Mr. Smith about what happened, and she sent a nanny back to the estate where the rest of the bodyguards are." Nifa informed her gently.

Elyse just nodded, slowly, not really paying attention. The whole ride here with the paramedics scared her.

 _Losing blood…baby not being able to make it…_

It was too much, but her aunt had begged them to save the baby. _God, she's only seven months. The baby will be premature and I don't know what I'll do if she loses this one…_

Elyse remembered how it was with the other two stillborn and how her aunt and uncle grieved. They were good people. They didn't deserve this pain. Elyse placed a hand on her stomach, stroking it smoothly, actually happy to feel the firmness of her bump.

That's when the tears began to fall.

 _How foolish I was to think I wasn't happy about you, ma moitie. How utterly foolish._

A doctor came towards her then and he looked exasperated and alert.

"Mrs. Smith?" He asked, breathless. At first, Elyse didn't look up, out of it and not used to hearing that form of her name. Nifa stood up, pulling her up, "Yes, this is Mrs. Smith."

Elyse, shocked, finally back to her senses, she followed Nifa's lead and walked up to the doctor, hurriedly.

"Yes, yes, is she okay? Is the baby okay?" Elyse asked, breathlessly, her eyes pleading with the doctor. The doctor looked a bit taken aback, noticing how young the woman was in front of him, but he shook his head, clearing his mind.

"If you come with me, your aunt is calling for you." The doctor replied, carefully.

Elyse shot a look at Nifa and she nodded, so Elyse followed the doctor back into the emergency room. The chaos inside was enough for Elyse to panic. It smelled clean, but a dirty clean as if the sterilized smell was covering something sickening.

The doctor led her down the hall and into a…surgical room. Her aunt laid there, looking sick and pale. Elyse didn't notice how old her aunt had become because of the strong, formidable woman who raised her stayed in her mind this whole entire time.

The image of her weakening maternal figure moved Elyse to tears as she rushed to her side.

"Tante, tante, I'm here." Elyse whispered, her tears blurring her vision. Her aunt, through half-lidded eyes, reached for her hand and Elyse was more than happy to reach for her own frail one.

"Ma petite, did you see her?" Her aunt asked, softly, pointing behind her. Elyse turned and saw a small incubator with a tiny body inside and she gasped.

"She made it, tante. Oh my goodness, she made it." Elyse sighed, happily, turning back to her aunt.

Her aunt sighed, relieved, "Yes, she did." Elyse smiled, softly, placing her other hand on her aunt's forehead, brushing away stray hairs.

Her aunt sighed, but this time, it was in slight pain and Elyse realized that the surgical team around her was staring at Elyse, guarded and pitying.

 _Don't tell me._

"Elyse, ma petite, look at me," her aunt called her, through gritted teeth, and Elyse obeyed, "I need you to promise me two things."

Elyse held her breath, not willing to hear it, "How about you rest, auntie? You can tell me once you gain your— "

"Elyse." Her aunt interrupted her, sharply. Her grip on Elyse's hand getting tighter, as if desperate.

"…Yes, tante?" Elyse asked, her tears flowing at this point, but she will listen. She will do what she could.

"Promise me that you will hold no funeral for me. The moment your uncle died, I have no wish to have a prolonged ceremony to wish me goodbye. Cremate my body and spread my ashes atop of my husband and children's graves." Her aunt whispered, heatedly, her half-lidded gaze intensely on her.

"W-What? You're not going to die, tante. Don't be ridiculous. Please, save your— "

"Take care of her. Take care of my daughter like how I cared for you, ma petite. Remember I had a prayer for her to be like you? This is it. My prayer is going to be answered. She will be your daughter, ma petite."

 _What answered prayer is as sick as this?_ Elyse couldn't take it anymore. "Please, don't do this. Don't go. Don't leave me too." Elyse begged, her sobs getting louder.

"Oh, ma petite. Life must go on. Life will always go on. Remind your father and brother of my love. Even your husband. And you, ma petite, I will send you my love everyday through Mikasa."

"…Is that her name?" Elyse asked, crying harder, "My mother's name."

Her aunt smiled, widely, through the pain and the tears that were trailing down her pale cheeks, "Yes, your mother's name. Will you promise me these two things, ma petite?"

Elyse couldn't speak anymore. Her sobs choking her, so all she could do was nod and squeeze her aunt's hand tighter.

"I can now rest in peace. I can now see your uncle and my children. I can see your mother." Her aunt whispered the last part, and Elyse had to strain to hear it.

Elyse watched as her aunt closed her eyes, a smile on her lips and she couldn't believe it.

The relaxed hand in Elyse's death grip told her everything.

And just like that, Elyse felt her heart die just as her aunt's heart monitor flat-lined.

* * *

She was ushered out of the surgical room and she didn't fight them this time. Instead, she walked, aimlessly, towards the waiting room.

"Elyse!" A familiar voice called out to her and she looked up. She saw Dieter and Nifa, but she saw Erwin, distressed, pacing the floor. His hair was a mess and he didn't even have his suit jacket on while his dress shirt was wrinkled and his tie hanging pathetically of his neck.

"Elyse, Is everything okay?" Erwin asked, walking towards her, grabbing her arms, searching her blank face.

She stared at him, her eyes unreadable and she watched as he waited, patiently and impatiently.

"She's gone." Elyse croaked, her heart breaking at those two words. Erwin didn't ask for anything else. He pulled her towards him, encircling his arms around her while placing his chin atop of her head. He stroked her hair and placed a quick kiss on her forehead before whispering words of comfort in her hair.

Elyse didn't have the strength to embrace him back. But then he whispered two words that brought her back to life as she hugged him back, burying her face in his chest, sobbing.

"I'm here."

* * *

Erwin had sent Nifa back to the estate and had Dieter go outside to watch for press as he held Elyse in the waiting room, waiting for her cries to subside.

It did subside after a while and Elyse was too weak to pull away from his embrace as he stroked her back, comfortingly.

The sound of a baby's cry seemed to snap Elyse out of it as she gasped, pulling away from Erwin.

"Mikasa." She said, worried. Erwin looked at her confused, his hands still grasping her elbows.

"That's your mother's name." He stated, warily, not knowing where she was going with it. Elyse shook her head, whipping around, walking towards the front desk.

"Elyse, wait." Erwin called to her, but she didn't stop.

"I need to know where the baby Mikasa Ackerman is. I'm her…mother now." Elyse felt the word, 'mother', foreign to her, but needed to see the baby, make sure she's okay, desperate to know if she's okay.

The receptionist nodded, solemnly, having received the news from one of the hospital staff about what happened to the birth mother.

"She's in the NICU. Visitors are required to be escorted by a doctor, so let me do that for you." The receptionist offered picking the phone up to call for a doctor.

A hand on Elyse's shoulder made her turn around and she saw Erwin, looking a bit shocked.

"The baby survived?" He asked, in awe. Elyse nodded, slowly, realizing that she had yet to tell Erwin about how they were going to add another child into their estate.

 _Another child and I still have yet to give birth to my first one._

Erwin pulled out his phone and Elyse watched as he dialed a number and after a moment, he placed the phone on his ear, waiting, "Petra. I need a favor. Can you set up another crib in the estate? Also, buy more supplies. No…Elyse didn't give birth yet. I'll let you know about the situation later on. Okay, thanks."

Elyse stared at Erwin, blankly, not knowing how to process what her husband just did. Erwin smiled, comfortingly at her. She looked away, still in pain at what's happening.

"He's a good man." Elyse could hear the words her aunt said and the memory of that hurt her even more.

"They said she's in the NICU. That's where I once was…I was born sickly. Oh my god, Erwin, we need to go there now." Elyse said, realizing that the receptionist was trying to get their attention.

"The doctor to escort you should be there." The receptionist confirmed, smiling at them sympathetically. Elyse nodded her thanks and she walked there with Erwin, trying to calm her heart.

They arrived and the doctor greeted them, informing them that they would need to sterilize their arms and that they would have to wear hospital clothing. Elyse felt her heart dropping at all the necessary requirements to even see the baby.

She followed the orders and she opened the changing curtain, prepared, and she saw that Erwin was ready, too, his stare never leaving her as she followed the doctor to where they had the incubators.

The doctor stopped them as he approached one specific incubator, "This is her. She seems to be doing fine. We had a bit of a scare when she came out. She wasn't breathing so we had to pump air down her throat. We're going to keep a careful eye on her."

Elyse walked towards the incubator and the doctor showed her where she could put her arms through so she could hold the baby.

One look at the baby and Elyse began to cry, softly. She was so tiny and sickly. But, my god, she was beautiful. They had cleaned her up and Elyse noticed that through the pink skin, she could see the Ackerman beauty.

True, her aunt had been distantly related to her father, but her aunt had some Asian descent that didn't make her much of an Ackerman as expected, but Mikasa had a hint of it in how her pre-formed eye shape and the slight flatness of her nose.

Elyse knew it was silly to see those features at such an early stage, but she could sense it and it made her happy that Mikasa was already looking like her mother.

She weighed like nothing in Elyse's hands. She barely fit in Elyse's hand. If she wanted to, Elyse could simply hold her in one hand.

Elyse felt her breaking heart hold itself together as she stared lovingly at the baby girl in her hands.

"I'm here. I will always be here." Elyse whispered, softly. A promise she intended to keep, remembering how her aunt whispered it to her at night before she would sleep.

 _That's right, Mikasa. I will always be here._

* * *

Her brother and her father were upset with her. Elyse thought it understandable, but she was doing what her aunt had made her promise. So, when Levi called to voice his anger at her, Elyse let it happen. When her father cursed at her, Elyse let it happen.

She informed both of them of Mikasa and they had quiet at that.

Levi softened with her at that point, promising her that he'll take a break from searching for their uncle when he could so he could see the new baby.

He especially went quiet when he heard the baby's name.

"You have two children before your own, Elyse. Do you understand that the press will be asking questions?" Her father sighed, through the phone.

"I don't care, papa. They're mine now. And no one can tell me otherwise." Elyse stated, hanging up before she could hear his protests. She was tired. She already heard him yell at her when the press found out about Eren, but this time, she wasn't going to even bother.

She promised herself, after she spread her aunt's ashes on the graves of her uncle and her dead nieces or nephews.

"I promised to not take my life for granted anymore. Both of you have been showing me that every day of my life even when I failed to be the perfect little girl that everyone believed I was." Elyse cried, softly, tracing her finger over her uncle's name on his headstone, "Father thought I had to be perfect. Sometimes, Levi thought it too. Yet, both of you, you both thought I could fail and you didn't judge me when I did. And now-now…you're both gone."

"But, I promise both of you, I will raise her to not be perfect, but to be herself. Just like how you both taught me."

* * *

Ever since then, she took a stand when it came to her newborn children and dealing with the press wasn't any different. They had caught the news about Mikasa because of the hospital and the press had been sneakily climbing trees, taking pictures inside of the nursery. That's when they caught sight of Eren. That was a day of Elyse struggling to get to the car so she could see Mikasa back in the NICU.

She asked Erwin if he could set up a press conference and he smiled at her then, already arranging it.

So, today, she was ready to stand before the press as her four-month pregnancy belly strained within her tight black dress. She wanted to look every bit of a mother who didn't want to deal with the press.

She approached the podium, ready to take the stage and say what she had to say. They called out to her, and she made sure her face was unreadable. A trick she's been learning ever since she was married to Erwin, the master of the unreadable.

"I've come to talk to the press about the two newborns that have been living in the estate I share with my husband. Tragedy has struck my family, lately. My uncle and aunt have passed away, and my uncle, back in Germany, has been missing. They all left their children, and I refuse to let them live in a foster home or out on the streets when they have me. That's right, I am a mother before even giving birth to my own child." Elyse had added that for good measure, trying to lighten it up. The press laughed at that and she smiled, but it wasn't friendly, it was filled with warning, "That is the story and my family is still grieving. My husband and I have been polite when it comes to press, but this time, we ask, no, _demand_ , that you leave our family alone in this time of grief. When the time comes for my husband and I to be out in public once more, we will happily oblige to pose and speak with you. But, right now, enough is enough. If you have any more questions, please direct them to my husband who will answer or not answer them."

She finished her speech and with Erwin's help, she got off the stage. She sat down next to the stage, and she thanked Petra for the offered water bottle.

Erwin took the stage, looking handsome and Elyse found herself appreciating how his shoulder seemed to get a bit broader each day.

Elyse found herself appreciating Erwin's help everyday with Eren at the estate and Mikasa back at the hospital. He had moved Mikasa to a closer hospital with Dr. Zoe overseeing the hospital staff that tended to her. Nifa was always at the estate now, taking over one of the guest bedrooms. Dieter was also assigned as Elyse's personal bodyguard, so he had his own room in their estate. Erwin took a couple days of work to have everything set up for Mikasa's homecoming and Elyse told him that he didn't have to do that.

"I want to be here when my daughter comes back, Elyse."

Her heart had fluttered at that, and she blushed when she realized that she wanted to kiss him right then and there in gratitude.

Oh, that was another thing her pregnancy was doing to her, she was starting to get flustered and flushed whenever Erwin would brush up against her accidentally or when his large hands would help guide her around.

She didn't even care if her husband was a mere stranger. It just made her hotter.

She shook her head, telling herself to stop thinking dirty thoughts.

It didn't help that after he was done with the press that he put an arm around her waist, protectively, leading her to the car.

Once they entered the car, Elyse was already flushed. Erwin didn't seem to notice as he looked at her, proudly.

"You did well, Elyse." He praised, grabbing a glass before pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

"Thank you." Elyse said, quietly, hoping that he would stop talking or she would jump in his lap in a matter of seconds.

 _Please say something mean. Please say something weird. Please say something rude._

She wished that he would hurry up with some weird, hateful mannerism, but it didn't come. He was smiling and drinking his whiskey as if everything was okay. And yes, this man was _okay._

"Oh, Hange told me that Mikasa should be able to come home a week from now. Isn't that great? I also contacted another old friend of mine, his name is Niles—Elyse, are you okay?" Erwin suddenly asked, realizing that Elyse was staring off into space.

Elyse nodded, quickly, blushing. Erwin didn't seem to be happy with that, so he leaned in closer, his arm resting behind her. She felt surrounded.

"Is it the baby?" Erwin asked, concerned. Elyse shook her head, "No, I'm just tired, that's all." She offered, weakly.

Erwin nodded, but he placed his other hand on her forehead, "You're red, though. Are you burning up?"

God, his lips were so close. She literally could tilt her head up and she would be able to brush his lips just so and then it could lead to getting rid of this heat that was building up inside of her—

That's when she felt a kick within her stomach.

She yelped, and Erwin pulled away, shocked, having felt the kick too. They both stared at her stomach, completely in awe.

She faced Erwin, who gingerly placed a hand on her stomach. The baby kicked once more and he began to smile.

"Well, hello there." Erwin greeted, amused and his blue eyes were twinkling. Elyse smiled, too, his happiness contagious. She placed a hand over his and she giggled as the baby kicked once more.

The entire ride to the hospital was them laughing at how their baby was certainly impatient to get out and join their crazy, unexpected world.

* * *

Dr. Zoe greeted them and Elyse was thankful when the doctor immediately led them to where Mikasa was. Erwin was already doting over his daughter, marveling at how big she was getting.

Dr. Zoe pulled Elyse aside and they asked about how Elyse was doing which made Elyse smile in gratitude.

"I actually want to talk about…how my…sexual—" Elyse was cut off by the excited doctor who laughed.

"Oh, sweetie, that's normal. All you have to do is jump your husband's bones. Oh, wait, I forgot that you guys aren't normal." Dr. Zoe mused, making Elyse blush.

"Well, there are toys…" The doctor suggested.

The bright red face of Elyse and the loud laughter of Hange confused Erwin to no end and Elyse wanted to sink back in her seat as they went back home.

* * *

Elyse took a long bath, washing the day away. Her mind went back to Erwin's close-up face as he casted a concerned look at her back in the car. Her fingers were starting to wander, and she gasped when she touched herself.

Was she always this sensitive?

Dr. Zoe had teased Elyse about the situation, but she did suggest that Elyse do something about her situation. Elyse used that an excuse for her to keep going. It wasn't long before she reached completion, moaning. After a moment, she rose from the tub, feeling a bit dirty but satiated.

After wiping herself down, Elyse was happy that she didn't end up kissing Erwin, thinking of the mess it would've caused between them if there were lines crossed.

After getting dressed to go to bed, she entered the nursery to check up on Eren. She found herself staring at Erwin's naked backside, his back muscles bare and his shoulders broad. She tried to remember if she saw this during that one night they shared together four months ago, but she just remembered the hazy feeling of being tipsy and how clumsy she had been.

She was sure she was turning red.

She saw that Erwin was holding paperwork, so she assumed that he had been in his office before checking up on Eren. She began to approach Eren's crib, but that's when Erwin turned around and she noticed that Eren wasn't in his crib, but he was in Erwin's other arm, snuggled and asleep.

And the feeling of arousal rose within her at the sight of her muscular half-naked husband with work and their son in his arms.

She gulped, crossing her arms, realizing how thin her night shift was.

Erwin looked up then, noticing that Elyse had come in. He smiled in greeting, unfazed at seeing her.

"Don't worry about tonight. You need to rest tonight." Erwin stated, quietly, putting the paperwork down on a table nearby, focusing his attention on the baby.

"O-okay." Elyse found herself pathetically saying, not trusting herself to say anything. Erwin approached her, and Elyse was suddenly very thankful for Eren being in his arms.

Too bad he placed a hand on her stomach, making her blush.

"Goodnight." He wished to her stomach and then to her as he looked up, smiling. He turned back around, pacing the room so he could cradle Eren.

Elyse took that as a sign to go back to her room. Once she closed the door, she slid to the floor, covering her flushed face.

 _I am so screwed._

* * *

They brought Mikasa home the week after, as Dr. Zoe promised. Erwin was extremely careful with her, and Elyse was amused at how gingerly he held her, barking orders to the security detail, making them run around like headless chickens.

Once they entered the nursery, Erwin and Elyse made sure that Mikasa was settled before prepping the bottles for the milk. Elyse watched as Erwin's rolled his sleeves up, revealing strong forearms she would imagine at night.

"Elyse, are you sure you're okay?" Erwin asked, curiously. Elyse nodded, "I'm sure. It's just that the pregnancy is starting to take a toll on me."

Erwin nodded, thoughtfully, "Don't stress yourself, Elyse. You can rest in your room if you want. I can take over here."

Elyse shook her head, adamant, "You've been doing everything since you took days off of work. You should be resting."

Erwin chuckled at that, "This is actually more relaxing than being at the office."

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that, "Really? Taking care of newborns is less stressful than the office?"

"In its own way, it's a slower process compared to the fast pace of the office. It's better hearing babies cry than old men yelling in your ear." Erwin shrugged, measuring the baby formula.

Elyse laughed at that, her arm brushing against his, "What is it you do anyways?" She asked, realizing that she didn't really know what he did. Erwin paused then, and Elyse looked up, curiously.

He stared down at her, a guilty look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Elyse asked, suddenly concerned. Erwin placed the bottle he was working on to gently grab Elyse's arms.

"I'm so sorry, Elyse. I didn't even tell you what I did for a living. Here you were, being such a good mother, unquestioning, and I was being so rude for not letting you know my job." Erwin apologized, sharply. Elyse blinked.

She began to laugh, amused, "Oh my god, you are so dramatic. Don't worry about it, Erwin. I didn't ask, so it's not your fault."

Erwin shook his head, stubbornly, "I've been trying to make things easier for you, but all I've been doing is making you question who you married."

Elyse, touched, placed a hand on his cheek, smoothing out the frown on the corner of his mouth, "Erwin, it's fine. These four months have been…hard, but you have been really great about it all, really."

Erwin sighed, but he leaned into her touch, relieved. Elyse couldn't hold back anymore and she brought her lips closer to his. Erwin's eyes opened, surprised, but she didn't let him pull back and she kissed him, hard.

The kiss started to become more heated as Erwin, although hesitant, began to kiss her back. He took control like he did back then and Elyse moaned. The sound encouraged Erwin and he kissed her, deeply, wrapping his arms around, pulling her closer to him.

He pulled away, biting her lower lip, and Elyse began to pant, pressing her body closer, as much as she could, even with the baby bump.

His hands began to descend lower, grabbing the material of her dress so he can pull it up, revealing her dancer legs to him. He began to kiss her jaw, tracing his tongue down the column of her neck and he groaned as she shifted ever so slightly above his growing arousal.

She could feel Erwin's hand impatiently twitching as he was about to-

That's when the baby decided to kick.

Erwin jumped back, dropping the material of her dress, and letting go of her altogether as if she was a leper.

He ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. Elyse was breathing deeply too, a shaking hand placed on her lips.

She immediately felt regret, not any sense of relief for getting rid of the sexual feeling she had for him. God, what was she thinking? They were getting along so well, and now, everything was ruined just because she couldn't keep it in her pants.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. It's this pregnancy. It's making me feel so hot and bothered, and I asked Dr. Zoe what to do about it, but nothing's working so I-"

"Elyse." Erwin's voice cut through her desperate plea for forgiveness.

Elyse shut her mouth, looking at him, earnestly. Erwin sighed, taking a step towards her, his fingers fixing her hair.

"That was a mistake, and it's good that our baby interrupted us. That's all it is, Elyse." Erwin assured her. Elyse bit her lip and nodded, placing a hand on her stomach.

"You're right." Elyse agreed, her heart still beating fast.

"If it makes you feel any better, it's been…awhile for me too." Erwin offered, a small smile on his face. Elyse chuckled at that, a bit nervous still.

It was a bit tense and awkward for a moment until Erwin sighed, "I'm sorry, Elyse. I shouldn't have lost control like that."

Elyse was tired of apologies. That's all they've been doing since they met.

"Hey, what is it that you do?" She asked, randomly, throwing Erwin off as he stared at her, bewildered.

"I…I'm an actuary for CEOs of companies all over the world. I'm in charge of coming up with the numbers and facts that would either help or crash companies." Erwin replied, warily.

Elyse hummed in acknowledgement, "That's pretty interesting." She began to turn her attention back to the bottles, and she could still feel Erwin's stare on her.

"Elyse…" Erwin began, but Elyse held up a hand, stopping him.

"I'm tired of tiptoeing around you, Erwin." Elyse finally said, with a sigh, "I'm tired of acting like we're okay when we're not. We're not a normal married couple and we still act like that's not a weird thing."

Erwin seemed to relax at that, "You're right. I'm tired of it too, but what do you want to do about it?"

Elyse thought about it. What did she want to do about it? Being romantic was out of the question. Aside from his handsomeness and his mysterious demeanor, Elyse couldn't see herself with a man who kept secrets all the damn time even if he was nice and bought her things and sheltered her. She didn't feel like they even connected with simple conversations and that was a big thing to her. She always wanted a man who could read her and she could read him.

Erwin was unreadable, and she was glad that he had a hard time reading her.

"Let's…stop pretending when we're alone. Let's talk about solutions for our…sexual problems. We can plan you meeting up with women that you're interested in or we can talk about me-"

"Elyse," Erwin stopped her, appalled and confused, "that's highly inappropriate for me to bring up to you."

Elyse rolled her eyes, placing a hand on Erwin's shoulder, "Listen, this is what I'm talking about. It's not highly inappropriate because I don't even think it is. We're not _married_ married, Erwin. We've established this. It's normal to look for other outlets when it comes to our unusual marriage."

"So, what you're suggesting is…?"

"Having a normal relationship. _Being friends._ God, we literally weren't even friends before any of this happened. How about we start now?" Elyse suggested, realizing where their problem was. It was as if a lightbulb popped in her mind.

Erwin, poor Erwin, looked so confused. "Friends?"

Her heart felt so much lighter at the mention of it, "Yes, Erwin, Friends. We're co-parents now. We need to have some type of normal relationship and friendship is the solution because we certainly aren't romantic."

Erwin let that process within in his mind and Elyse watched as he slowly, reluctantly put a hand up for her to shake.

Elyse grabbed it, smiling widely, and shook.

She didn't miss it when Erwin tightened his hold, but Elyse ignored it just like she ignored the feeling of her heart beating wildly.

"Friends."

* * *

A:N/ Everything is so complicated and sad.

Timeline now:

Elyse is four months pregnant and mother of two newborn babies.

Levi is still in Germany.

Dr. Zoe is in France, being the Smith on-call doctor.

Nifa and Dieter are live-in helpers.

Petra is the assistant who picks Elyse's marvelous clothes.

Elyse and Levi's father is in New York.

Aunt and Uncle: Deceased.

Erwin is an enigma. A sexy one.

Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

A:N/As promised, here's a chapter that makes slight progress and then no progress and then huge progress but at a loss of what to do with that progress.

I own the complicated character, Elyse, but I don't own the other complicated characters.

* * *

Three months went by and the weather was starting to introduce the fall in beautiful Paris, Elyse groaned as she bent down to place Eren back in his crib, her back complaining of the pain.

Erwin chuckled from behind her as he fed Mikasa, "I told you to wait for me." He said, his tone teasing. Three months ago, Erwin's voice wouldn't be teasing her, and Elyse wouldn't be rolling her eyes at him. But, ever since they established a friendship, Erwin and her were on the best terms.

He was open with her, well, a bit more open. He would talk about his work and how old men would amuse him, which would make Elyse laugh especially now that she was getting bigger and miserable.

Elyse would talk about her childhood in Paris openly with him, and he would share some facts about his childhood in America. She had been taken aback by it, but she didn't question him more, letting him open up in his own pace.

She had made the mistake of asking about his stint in the German Army. His face had darkened at that and he excused himself, sharply, before holing himself in his office.

She had felt guilty then, knocking on his office door and offering him a drink. Erwin smiled at her then and she knew all was forgiven and forgotten.

"Eren is finally asleep, which means if we don't place him down in the crib quickly. He'll end up waking up and wailing." Elyse pointed out, plopping herself down on the rocking chair besides Erwin.

Erwin just hummed in agreement as he stared at Mikasa, healthy and even more beautiful, as her grey eyes were staring to close.

"Oh, no, not yet, ma petite," Erwin whispered, sitting Mikasa up to help her burp, Elyse had warmed at the use of the French that Erwin used, "Let's make sure you burp first before you sleep."

Mikasa cooed at her father, and Erwin patted her back, his smile widening when he heard the small burping sound. He set her in her crib and began to rock it, slowly. He straightened up when he was satisfied with her sleeping position.

Erwin sat back on the chair he was in and looked at his watch then to Elyse, "When is Freida landing?" He asked.

Elyse looked at the clock in the nursery and thought about it for a moment, "She should be arriving in a hour or so. Are you sending Dieter?"

Erwin nodded, getting up, "I'll be joining him, I want to properly greet the godmother of our child." Elyse snorted at that.

"Please don't remind me of my mistakes." Elyse moaned, remembering how it was Freida who appointed herself as the godmother.

Erwin chuckled, and walked up towards her, bending down to place a hand on her stomach, stroking it gently. Elyse used to be uncomfortable about it, but three months of their friendship slowly blossoming, Elyse just sighed and picked up the book she had placed on the table next to her chair, waiting for Erwin stop creepily gazing at her stomach like he usually did.

"I'll be taking my leave." Erwin announced, getting up after a moment. Elyse, not looking up from her book, hummed in acknowledgement. She lazily held out her hand, involuntarily. Erwin's small laugh made her look up, and she blushed withdrawing her hand, quickly.

"I-I'm used to you just grabbing my hand randomly and kissing it in goodbye. It's-It's not my fault that you're weird." Elyse defended herself, trying to hide her face behind her book.

Erwin's hand obstructed her view as he grabbed it from her, gently. Elyse gave a small annoyed hiss and Erwin laughed as she straightened up to try and grab it back from his gasp.

The feel of his lips on her soft cheek made her freeze and it was done in a matter of seconds as he dropped the book on her lap and gave her a small bow as a goodbye, "I'll be back."

With that said, he left the nursery, leaving Elyse a flustered mess.

"God, your father is so weird." Elyse groused to the children around her.

* * *

Freida barreled through the estate, excited and awed, running into Elyse's open arms.

"Shit, this place is fucking huge and gorgeous. What do you do, Erwin? Sell human organs in the black market?" Freida asked, her voice loud and the familiarity of her speech seemed to throw the security off since Erwin and Elyse never speak like that.

Elyse shot Freida an exasperated look, but Erwin had smiled, seeming to be more amused than offended.

"No, I have a boring job compared to that." Erwin replied, helping Freida with her coat. Elyse shot her husband a surprised look and Erwin shrugged, still showing his amusement.

 _Well, he is close friends with Dr. Zoe_. _Freida is similar to them._

"How do you pull off _being pregnant_ and those _clothes_?" Freida squealed, twirling Elyse around, slowly.

Elyse giggled, already enjoying her friend's company, "It's Erwin's assistant, Petra, she's the one who literally styles me day in and day out."

"If you'll excuse me ladies, I'll be in my office, but I'll be down for dinner." Erwin announced, catching Freida and Elyse's attention.

"Off with you then, Lord of Mysterious Wealth. I will be accompanying your darling wife to the little aliens that you both so graciously brought into-"

"Okay, Erwin. I'll call you down for dinner." Elyse sighed, clasping a hand over Freida's mouth who laughed in response.

Erwin approached Freida, following suit with his weird mannerisms as he placed a kiss on her hand, which amused Freida more. Elyse placed a hand out just to get it over with and she shot a quick warning look at Erwin when he looked at her, teasingly.

It was ten times worse when Erwin ignored her offered hand as he bent down to kiss her cheek, chastely. She knew that he was already laughing under his breath when he pulled away as he saw the slight annoyance on her face.

 _He's teasing me again, the arrogant bastard. Ever since that one incident that I happened to be needy, and now he won't leave me alone, ugh._

When the sound of the office door being shut sounded, Elyse whipped around to face Freida, who had a smug look on her face.

" _So_ , that was weiiiird-"

"Don't."

* * *

"Oh, they are so teeny weeny." Freida cooed as held Mikasa and Elyse held Eren. Elyse smiled and rolled her eyes at her friend's description.

"Yes, they're tiny." Elyse agreed, making faces at the gurgling Eren.

"Damn, Elyse. You really _are_ a saint." Freida sighed, placing the sleepy Mikasa down as she dropped herself in a rocking chair, weary from her trip.

"Yes, because getting pregnant before marriage is such a saintly thing to do." Elyse laughed at her friend, sitting on the rocking chair next to her, rocking Eren to sleep.

"God, and you have a beautiful house in a beautiful country with a beautiful husband and beautiful children. Did I mention how _beautiful_ your life is?" Freida pointed out, picking up a bottle of milk that Elyse motioned for and giving it to her.

"My life isn't beautiful. It's messy, extremely messy. Stuck in a house while there is a beautiful country to explore because the press won't leave us alone. My husband is just starting to become a friend, and he's also insufferable at times. And I didn't essentially want to have these beautiful children the way I got them." Elyse finished that last part, quietly.

Freida took ahold of Elyse's hand, squeezing quietly in apology, "You know I didn't mean it that way, Ely."

Elyse smiled at her, "I know you didn't. You see what others see, and I see the reality of it all."

* * *

Dinner was a fun affair. Freida shared stories of her travels. She had graduated Julliard, and she moved on to Broadway's show of _Phantom of the Opera_. Elyse's heart had squeezed at the memory of their dream together, but she was extremely overjoyed that at least one of them is living their dream.

Freida was on break now and she was exploring as much as she can while she could, making her resting stop in Paris to visit Elyse.

Erwin and Freida were in deep discussion of her new job and Elyse excused herself to wash the dishes. While she was doing the dishes, Elyse found her vision blurring and her hands began to shake.

 _Stop being such a baby, Elyse. You can't do anything about your situation anymore. Dancing is no more. You're a wife and a mother now._

She hastily cleared her throat and wiped her eyes when she heard Freida's voice get closer.

"Hey, I'm here to help you clean!" Freida announced, wrapping her arms around her waist and protruding stomach.

Elyse shook her head, smiling softly. "Go to sleep, Freida. Your luggage should be in the guest room we prepared for you."

Freida sighed, but she obeyed, letting go of her friend.

"I truly mean it when you're a saint, Elyse, and I know that maybe this isn't how you planned your life to be, but damn, you still have it good." Freida stated, nudging Elyse.

Elyse snorted, in disbelief, "I already told you that it may seem—"

"Elyse, I know you're upset—"

Elyse dropped the dirty dishes and turned to face her friend, the jealousy she held back full on her face and the sorrow she hid from the world.

"Upset? Freida, you know more than anyone how I longed to be onstage forever. It was taken from me overnight and back then, I hid my hatred for my situation and then everything happened. Getting married, everyone dying, and children coming, it happened. Now…now that everything has calmed down, and as much as I've missed your presence, it…sucks to realize that I don't have my dream, okay?" Elyse began to cry then and Freida immediately wrapped her arms around her.

Freida didn't say anything as Elyse cried, softly.

"And you know what the worst part is? I feel horrible for feeling horrible. You're right, I do have a great life. I'm taken care for and I have children that I absolutely adore, even Erwin is bearable now. God, I'm such a fucking brat." Elyse groaned at the last part.

Freida laughed, holding her friend tighter, "Oh, Ely, you're not a brat. You're a saint. A normal human saint that deserves the whole world."

Elyse shook her head against her friend's shoulder, "I'm not a saint, Freida. I'm human."

Elyse felt Freida cringe, apologetic, "You're right, Ely. You're human."

* * *

Freida helped her then, the tension disappearing as soon as they let go of each other. Elyse listened with ease when Freida carefully told her about her travels, and Elyse was relieved to not feel such burning jealousy. It was still there, but the happiness overruled it.

Freida bid her goodnight and Elyse went to retreat back to her room until she noticed the nursery door slightly ajar.

"…Nifa? Erwin?" She called, walking towards the door. When nobody answered, panic seized her. She hurriedly opened the door and looked inside. Her heart softened at the spectacle before her. Erwin had fallen asleep with Mikasa on his chest, his hands on her back as the rocking chair lulled them to sleep.

She carefully tried to pick up Mikasa from Erwin's hands, but his hold got tighter, making Mikasa fuss a little bit. Elyse tried to wake Erwin from sleeping, but he began to groan in his sleep, making Mikasa start to wake up and a loud wail carried throughout the room.

Erwin's hold on her lessened, and Elyse hastily pulled Mikasa from his grasp, terrified. Erwin was still groaning until it turned into yelling. His arms were starting to twitch and his body was starting to have spasms here and there. Hastily putting Mikasa back in her crib, managing to calm her down, Elyse tried to gently nudge Erwin after, noticing immediately that he was having a nightmare.

"Erwin, Erwin." Elyse said, desperately, "Please wake up. It's just a bad dream."

It was then that Erwin's hand shot out and grabbed her neck, strangling her. Elyse found herself not being able to breathe and found that he was still sleeping, still believing his nightmare.

She was about to faint, the air almost leaving her. It was then that Dieter entered the room, his eyes widening at the sight of his boss in the throes of a bad dream, but he immediately took action.

"Sir, sir. You need to wake up. You're choking your wife. Elyse can't breathe." Dieter whispered, heatedly, in Erwin's ear, placing a hand on Erwin's chokehold.

Erwin seemed to wake up at that, his eyes opening and his face dropping once he saw a pale Elyse, who looked every bit as terrified as he did.

"Fucking shit. Shit, shit, shit. Elyse, Elyse, are you okay?" Erwin cursed, scrambling to get up. Elyse took a deep desperate breath, and she placed a hand around her bruised neck, gasping.

"Shit, Elyse. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Erwin apologized, profusely, coming to her side. Elyse flinched, edging away from him, which horrified Erwin more.

Dieter, looking at the situation, approached his boss first, "Sir, what day is it?" He asked, making sure that he was okay.

"It's a Monday." Erwin answered, softly, staring at Elyse, worried.

"What are your children's names?"

"Eren and Mikasa."

"Where are you now?"

"In Paris, in my house."

Dieter, satisfied, nodded, moving towards Elyse.

"Miss Elyse, we need to look at your neck. You have some bruising. Can you breathe properly?" Dieter asked, concerned. Elyse nodded, helplessly, still holding her neck.

"Dieter, it's fine, thank you very much for your help. Please go to sleep. I would like to talk to my husband alone." Elyse pleaded, noticing that Erwin was beginning to pace around the room like a madman, unbelieving of what just happened, muttering to himself, and it scared her.

She needed to get Erwin out of the nursery and into his office, so they could discuss what happened. Dieter hesitated, but he obeyed, nodding before taking his leave.

Once the door shut, Erwin walked towards Elyse, his face desperate.

"Elyse, forgive me. I..I suffer from nightmares and I didn't realize what I was doing. Please, say something." Erwin begged, trying to keep an appropriate distance between them.

Elyse stood up, slowly, letting go of her neck. She walked towards him, warily, and Erwin flinched when she put a hand on his arm, gently, "Let's go to your office and talk about it."

Erwin nodded, mutely. Once they entered the office, Elyse motioned for him to sit down. She remembered that he had a small bar there and asked if he wanted to drink.

Erwin shook his head, still staring at her. Elyse sat in front of him, her hands on her large stomach, trying to calm herself down.

"Erwin, that wasn't a normal nightmare." Elyse began, slowly, "Would you care to explain what just happened?"

Erwin sighed, running a hand through his hair, and he looked up at her, hesitantly.

"…I served in the military back in Germany. I entered immediately during my college years because I felt a little…lost. That's neither here or there, but it was a tough time then. I was questioning authority then, realizing that how untrustworthy authority had been with informing the citizens about everything. So, I built a name for myself. I became a Commander, but not the Commander you're thinking of, I was Commander of a special unit that dealt with...secrets." Erwin explained, his gaze starting to intensify.

Elyse shuddered, thinking of all the horrible things that Erwin had to do. She heard about what happened to men of war, they came home, scarred, mentally and physically.

"Erwin…do you suffer from PTSD?" Elyse asked, quietly, her compassion crying out to the man before her. He looked so horrified and what he did, and she understood now why he did. Her uncle had a small form of PTSD, and her aunt had thanked God that it wasn't as horrible as the others. Her father suffered from it, that's why he relied on drinking. Her brother…

That's when it suddenly made sense to her. How all these weird companions knew each other.

"My brother…Levi…he was with you in that unit." Elyse stated, realization dawning on her.

Erwin nodded, hesitantly, "He was one of my squad leaders. Eld and Gunter were under his command."

Elyse closed her eyes, remembering how her brother's shouting in his sleep kept her awake at night, and she had sobbed when she tried to help him as he struggled in her hold. She hadn't known what to do then, and now she felt just as lost. Her brother refused to acknowledge that he had a problem, would Erwin do the same?

"I know it's a problem. I didn't expect to fall asleep with Mikasa in my arms, and fuck, that was dangerous." Erwin cursed, angrily, clenching his fists.

That's why he stayed in his office more than his bedroom. To her horror, Elyse realized that Erwin tried to stay up as late as he could in order to run away from his problems.

"Erwin…you need to go get help. We have kids in the house, and you saw what you just did to me. We can look for someone—"

"Elyse, you don't think I've tried?" Erwin asked, his voice hollow, and Elyse felt her heart break into pieces at his insinuation.

"…You can't keep hiding this problem, Erwin." Elyse begged, trying to talk some sense into him.

"There's nothing else I can do." Erwin stated, sighing, as he got up. "Come, let's put some ointment on your neck and put you to bed."

Elyse followed, quietly. She watched as he gently placed the ointment on her bruised neck. She was thankful that it was fall season and that wearing a scarf wouldn't put her out of place. Freida was going to leave tomorrow morning and Erwin had already volunteered to take her to the hotel she was going to be staying in with her cast mates for their press tour.

Once Erwin was done taking care of her, he helped Elyse up and she followed him, silently, as he led her to her room. He hesitated, but he took her hand and placed a small kiss on it, wishing her a goodnight.

"Erwin." Elyse called to him, stopping him. He turned around and Elyse stood on her tippy toes to kiss him on his cheek. When she pulled away, she saw relief flood on his face as he stared down at her.

She smiled at him, "I'm going to find a way to help you." She promised, fervently. She owed that much to him. He had done everything for her and here he was suffering with a problem Elyse didn't know how to fix.

Erwin didn't say anything, his face starting to become unreadable. After a moment, he finally opened his mouth and said, "Goodnight, Elyse. Once again, I'm terribly sorry."

Elyse shook her head, still smiling comfortingly, "Goodnight, Erwin."

She watched him walk back into his office, and she realized the thin scars on the back of his forearms, and for once in her life, she realized that the formidable man she had thought she married had a greater story beyond what she knew.

* * *

Freida hugged her goodbye, tightly. "I'll be back soon." She promised, whispering into her hair. Freida didn't seem to know what had happened last night and had been her usual sunshine-self when it came to teasing Erwin and doting on Elyse.

Freida kissed the babies, snuggling them before leaving, promising to be the godmother that will give them alcohol when they're teenagers, making Elyse shoot a glare at her while Erwin watched, his mind somewhere else.

As Freida got ready to leave, Elyse pulled Erwin from the door to speak to him, "Are you sure you're okay to drive?"

For some odd reason, Erwin gave her a dark look of warning and it made Elyse shut up, as she froze, her hand letting go of him.

"I'm fine, Elyse." Erwin stated, his voice smooth and commanding as always. Before she could argue with him, Erwin offered Freida his arm and walked her to towards the car and drove off, leaving Elyse startled and frustrated at him.

* * *

Two months passed, the friendship that had been forming between Erwin and Elyse came to a standstill as they began to drift apart since the incident. Erwin didn't seek her out to talk to her, and Elyse busied herself with the babies and so did he. Yet, they never were in the nursery at the same time.

She also noticed that the man was actively avoiding her. Dieter now stood in front of Erwin's office, intimidating Elyse as she saw her serious bodyguard assigned to such a simple job.

She had been sympathetic at first, realizing that Erwin needed time to himself, but their baby was coming soon and the man needed to become the dutiful person she knew.

That's why she was waiting for him to come home one night.

She heard the front door open and the sound of his slow, heavy footsteps coming towards the living room, where she was sitting, reading a book as she waited patiently for him.

Erwin saw her as she looked up at him, but his face didn't betray any emotion.

And for some odd reason, Elyse found herself comforted at that even though his unreadable face had annoyed her since their wedding day.

"You should be resting." Erwin stated, nonchalantly, moving to go up the stairs towards his office as he took off his suit jacket and gave it to Dieter who had been waiting for him.

Elyse refused to let him leave just yet, "I need to talk to you." She demanded, noticing that Dieter looked a bit taken back at her sudden attitude. Erwin, _now_ she was getting annoyed, looked at her as if he was dealing with a little kid.

"Elyse, can this wait until tomorrow?" Erwin sighed, pausing at the stairs to rub his eyes as he turned towards her.

Elyse felt a small stab of guilt, noticing how tired he must be, but she was adamant. She was tired of having a ghost in her house, especially when they had been making progress with being cordial.

"No. It can't wait. You've been avoiding me, and I want to know why." Elyse said, exasperated, getting straight to the point because she knew Erwin would find a way to escape the situation.

He had been escaping and mending situations since the day he met her, and God, she wouldn't let him try to leave this one.

"Elyse, I haven't been avoiding you. I've been working. I've been taking care of the babies when I can, I don't know what else you want from me." Erwin responded, sharply, still acting like he was scolding a little girl.

Elyse clenched her fists, her anger and agitation coming to a point of no return.

"You act like we haven't been making progress as friends until that incident that night." Elyse hissed back, her arms crossing.

Erwin walked down the stairs now, leaving Dieter waiting up there, stiffly. Erwin shot him a look, and Dieter gave a slight bow of his head before climbing upstairs to go ahead.

Erwin turned his attention back to Elyse, his back straight, and his arms crossed, "Enough, Elyse. You're showing your age."

Elyse let out a bitter laugh, "Well, that's a low blow, Erwin." Her hatred for him starting to brew once more. She had hated him when he ignored her, but now she was starting to regret even doing something about it. Silence between her and he would be better.

Erwin shrugged, "It's true, Elyse. Like I said, I've been busy. Why? Have you not been taken care of properly? Do you want new clothes? A new room?"

Elyse fought the urge to punch the man in front of her, he was pushing buttons she didn't realize she had up until now.

"I wanted to know what's wrong, so we could fix this problem. Didn't we promise each other to be cordial? To try and be friends? Or did that disappear once I found out a dirty little secret." Elyse mentioned the last part as a low blow and it did the effect.

Erwin approached her, his broad frame towering over her petite one, but she refused to move or blink. She refused to let him be in charge.

"Don't you dare, Elyse. You don't know what you're saying." Erwin warned, his glare burning at her.

Elyse felt a part of her shudder, but before she could say something back, she widened her eyes in realization.

A pool of water puddled around her. She grabbed Erwin's arm, who was taken aback by it, but Elyse didn't have time to be smug about that.

"Erwin, my water just broke."

Forgetting everything else, Erwin put one of his arm under her legs and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up bridal style.

"DIETER. Get the car. Elyse is in labor! Nifa, stay with the babies! Also, call Petra to contact Levi and Ansel, so she can let them know what's going on." Erwin's commanding tone echoed throughout the manor.

Before Elyse knew it, they were in the car, with her in her chair huffing and puffing, and Erwin hovering above her, concerned.

* * *

She was taught that labor was going to hurt, but she didn't know it was going to be a _bitch_.

They had wheeled her in a private room that Erwin had secretly set up weeks before her due date, and she didn't have the time to be surprised as the hospital staff helped her in the bed. Erwin was outside, speaking with Dr. Zoe. Dieter was outside, also, standing at her door.

The contractions were beginning to be unbearable and Elyse grit her teeth from the pain. God, where was that epidural?

Dr. Zoe and Erwin came inside once she was settled, and Erwin offered his hand and Elyse, forgetting her anger, grabbed it.

"Fuck you, Erwin. This fucking sucks. God, I can't breathe." Elyse cursed, not caring how uncouth she sounded because she was bearing so much pain.

 _I'm in pain and I'll squeeze his hand until he feels my pain._

Elyse smirked at that, at least she had a revenge plan.

Erwin remained silent, the ever quiet, unreadable punching bag as Elyse began to bang both their hands on the bed as she groaned in pain.

Dr. Zoe examined her and they clucked their tongue, "It's too late for the epidural, you're already dilated. Let's get you into the delivery room." The doctor motioned for the hospital staff to start pushing the bed, and Elyse grabbed Erwin's hand even tighter as they entered the delivery room.

She watched as Erwin didn't even flinch and she frowned, throwing her head back, giving up.

 _So much for revenge._

The delivery room scared her, the chaos and the sterilized smell of hospital equipment made her queasy.

"Alright, you're going to have to push soon, Elyse." Dr. Zoe informed her, amidst the chaos. Elyse nodded, reluctantly. God, she was terrified. Could she do this?

A hand began to soothe her, rubbing her back as she sat up, Elyse looked up then and noticed that Erwin was about to place a kiss on her forehead until their lips came into contact, softly.

It was a simple brush that shocked them both, but after a moment, Elyse smiled at him, thanking him for trying. She couldn't stay angry at him right now. This was going to be a crazy moment for both of them even though nothing should faze them anymore.

Erwin noticed the change of her attitude and he smiled back at her, placing a kiss properly on her forehead.

"Just a few more pushes, Elyse. You can do it." Erwin encouraged, softly, as Dr. Zoe and the hospital staff did their work. Elyse nodded, breathing deeply.

After a moment, Dr. Zoe screamed, "I can see the head! Keep pushing, Elyse. Come on."

Elyse felt weak and too tired, "I can't do it anymore. I'm too tired." Erwin grabbed her hand, tightly, as her hold began to relax. She could make out his worried look as she shot it at Dr. Zoe, who was biting her lip, anxiously.

"Elyse, come on. The baby is almost here. You're about to hold another baby, don't you want to see your baby?" Dr. Zoe encouraged, directing the hospital staff on what to do next with her eyes. The hospital staff grew grim, but they knew what to do.

Erwin gave everyone a sharp glare, stopping them. He took control as he helped Elyse sit up, "Hey, hey. Elyse, just one more push. Can you do one more push?" He asked, softly. Elyse moaned, but she nodded, pushing with all her might.

Dr. Zoe breathed a sigh of relief and Elyse felt something slip outside of her body, feeling sort of empty.

"It's a boy!" Dr. Zoe announced, happily, and Erwin's face lit up at the mention of his child.

"Do you hear that, Elyse? It's a boy." Erwin said, turning to Elyse, and she smiled weakly back.

"Another boy? Oh boy." Elyse whispered, teasingly. Erwin chuckled at that, grabbing her hand and kissing it hard.

But, their happiness was short-lived when Dr. Zoe began to bark orders, "Hurry, get the oxygen tank. Yes, give me that. No, no, get it ready." Elyse sat up, alert, but she winced at the pain.

"Wait, what's going on?" She asked, alarmed, even if Erwin tried to push her down gently. Dr. Zoe didn't answer as she turned around with her staff to focus on the baby. Elyse turned to Erwin, pleading, "Please find out what's going on."

Erwin shook his head, grabbing her arms, urgently, "Lie down, Elyse. You need to rest. Hange is doing their best to see what's going on, okay? Rest, Elyse. Please."

Elyse had no choice but to listen as she found herself back on her back, gripping the sheets beneath her, tightly, sending a prayer up there, tears leaking out from her eyes.

A piercing cry screamed throughout the room, and Elyse felt her body relax as Dr. Zoe and the hospital staff began to shout orders at each other, the tension lessening.

Erwin seemed to relax too as he slumped down in his seat next to Elyse.

Tragedy hasn't struck on their family once more.

* * *

Elyse watched as they cleaned her baby, washing him as he fussed. She felt her heart beat fast when they brought the bundle towards her, waiting for her to hold out her arms.

She did, immediately, and they placed him in her arms. Erwin joined her as he sat on the bed, his arm around her.

He was perfect. Elyse breathed in awe at how exceptionally perfect her baby boy was. He had tuffs of blonde hair, just like his father, and his skin was pale like hers. He had his fists on the sides of his little face, and Elyse sighed at how adorable it looked.

She looked at Erwin, smiling widely, and he was too busy staring at his son, at a loss for words. Erwin gingerly placed a finger for his son to hold, and their son latched on to it, yawning while doing so.

"He's so tiny." Erwin mused, "Why are all our children so tiny?" Elyse laughed at that, warming at how he acknowledged Eren and Mikasa as their children.

That reminded her.

"We didn't pick out a name." Elyse said, slightly horrified. How did they forget to pick a name? Well, it was understandable with everything that has been happening around them and their on and off again friendship, that simple name picking process was forgotten.

Erwin looked at her then, his lips twitching into a small smile, "If you don't mind, I would want to name him after my grandfather, Armin. It also means protective in German."

"Armin," Elyse tested the name on her lips and she smiled at how perfect it seemed, "It means protective in German, huh? Makes sense since your daddy has been unbearably protective throughout the pregnancy."

It was meant to be a tease, but Elyse saw the flash of an emotion on Erwin's face before it was replaced with a smirk, "He made it, so I don't see you complaining." He defended, chuckling a bit.

"Well, that makes three." Elyse sighed, happily, finally realizing that they now have three babies in their care. Erwin groaned at that, "Fucking diapers."

That's when Elyse half-laughed and half-scolded her husband by pushing him off the bed.

They were allowed to leave the hospital after a week of Elyse complaining. She wanted her other kids, too, but the hospital was adamant for her recovery. It also had been weird for her to breastfeed for the first time.

Elyse had been more amused as Erwin turned to look the other way whenever she breastfed and she had felt confident to tease him about it, "It's not like you haven't seen my boobs before."

Erwin, appalled, sighed in annoyance, "Elyse. Enough."

It was if Armin being born managed to repair their friendship, making them forget about his PTSD nightmare that almost sent Elyse to the hospital and how they had been tense since then.

Once they got home, and Armin was placed into the third crib, joining his brother and sister in the nursery, Elyse felt a sense of completion. Her family was finally complete. She turned to tease Erwin about it, but she noticed that the man had disappeared into his office.

Leaving kisses on her babies' foreheads, she left Nifa in charge so she could talk to Erwin in his office. She entered, quietly, seeing that Erwin was reading something on his table.

"Hey, you just missed Eren and Armin bonding by them spitting up their milk. Mikasa is behaved as usual, your pretty little princess." Elyse teased.

Erwin merely hummed, and Elyse frowned, "Hey, I'm talking to you."

Erwin looked up, and Elyse flinched at the nonchalant expression on his face, "Sorry, I'm a bit busy."

A flash of anger took ahold of Elyse as she walked up to him, "No, we're not doing this again." Erwin looked up, his face starting to look a bit pissed, "Doing what, Elyse?"

"Doing _this_. You shutting me out and being callous, we were fine in the hospital, I don't understand why you're being rude now." Elyse argued, crossing her arms.

Erwin sighed, and he got up, making his way in front of the desk so he could lean on it by slightly putting his weight on it.

"Elyse, why do you refuse to realize that this friendship thing isn't working between us?"

Elyse froze at that, confused, "You never mentioned it wasn't working." She replied back, steeling herself.

Erwin rolled his eyes, and Elyse was ready to hit him.

"Oh, come on. Don't play dumb, Elyse. Romance wasn't good for us, and now friendship isn't either. It was better when I simply took care of you and the babies when I could, and you being able to do your own thing by going out and spending time in the library. It's better that way and you know it. No one feels put out."

"…Erwin, come on. Enough of your cryptic talk. What are you even saying? Your PTSD attack was a friendship tactic? Am I missing something?" Elyse asked, hating the feeling of confusion when it came to him.

"The PTSD attack was me being careless. I thought it would be okay for me to rest with Mikasa in my arms because our friendship was starting to blossom and I trusted myself enough to talk to you about things, so I thought I was fine now. But, I wasn't. It doesn't matter if we're friendly or not, I almost choked you to death and endangered our daughter in the process. Why do you think I stay away?" Erwin explained, finally giving in to Elyse's relentless begging.

Elyse didn't know what to say.

"Don't get me wrong. I will be here for the kids and you. But, only in the way that I trust myself with, which is constant care from afar." Erwin promised, his face resuming a happy expression, a reassuring one.

"Erwin…"

"Don't feel bad for me, Elyse. You and I both know that this is the safer option. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work." Erwin excused himself, standing up and returning to his seat.

Elyse had no choice but to leave. When the door shut behind her as she entered the nursery, she sighed, deeply, staring at the sleeping babies.

 _Poor Erwin_. She didn't realize he was struggling with it so much, and it made sense now. His sense of duty surely was making him re-think being friends with her and getting more familiar with the kids.

And, for once, Elyse was at a loss of what to do next about the enigma, Erwin Smith.

* * *

A:N/ Speak with me down below. We shall be frustrated together.


	11. Chapter 11

A:N/ Same old Elyse. Same old characters that don't belong to me.

Your reviews are always so encouraging and nice. Thank you so much! xx

* * *

It had been a year since then. She was going to reach her 18th year by next week while the babies were about to reach their first year. The babies were starting to crawl and sort-of walk here and there before falling and giggling. It was too much especially for poor Nifa and Dieter.

But, she was grateful for their help especially with how Erwin and her have been since last year.

Shaking her head, Elyse began to focus on happier upcoming things. Her 18th birthday was going to be a momentous occasion since she was going to see her brother and father for the first time in a year. Levi had been trying to search for their uncle to no avail, so he decided to take a break by buying a small house in Paris despite Elyse's offer for him to live with them.

"No offense, Elyse, but three screaming babies don't sound too appealing right now." Levi said over the phone much to Elyse's disappointment, but she understood. Sometimes, she found herself wanting to scream when they wouldn't stop crying.

Her father, still miffed at her for ignoring his protests of adopting more children, decided to visit since it happened to kill two birds with one stone. He had a meeting with Erwin and his father, so Ansel Ackerman always put business first. But, Elyse could also hear the interest in his voice when he spoke of seeing his grandchild even though she stressed that it was grandchildren, but it was a step for him, so she was going to be wary about him and her kids.

Freida was supposed to visit, but due to scheduling conflicts, she promised she would make it for the Eren's first year party. Elyse understood, she remembered how she had taken a break from Julliard to join a show and that had been hectic.

She sighed, wistfully, thinking about it, but a tug on her skirt made her look down from her book and she smiled, widely, as Mikasa held her arms up towards her.

"Okay, ma petite. Up you go." Elyse cooed, picking up her daughter with a laugh. Mikasa giggled, laying her head in the crook of her mother's neck, sucking on her thumb. Elyse tsked, and pulled Mikasa's thumb out of her mouth.

Mikasa pouted, but she complied as she proceeded to put sticky fingers in her mother's hair, playing with it. Elyse sighed, but she let her daughter explore, settling back in the couch on the living room as Mikasa babbled and cooed.

Elyse could hear Eren and Armin's high-pitched gurgles as Nifa tended to them, with the help of Dr. Zoe, well, Hange, and Dieter.

She smiled, happily. It was days like this that she was grateful for. Yes, she might not be a ballerina in Paris, living her dream, but she was still in Paris with her children and a beautiful estate.

With the babies, it seemed that the estate was alluring people to come in and play with her great children. Dr. Zoe, Eld, Gunther, and Petra were constantly there and Elyse never felt alone.

Especially now that Erwin was gone most of the time.

It had bothered her at first. She had tried to take steps in beginning their friendship, but Erwin was adamant about what he said. He returned to being aloof and taking care of things from a distance. Sure, the kids knew who 'papa' was and they climbed all over him once he got home, excitedly. Erwin would spend time with them in his own way and when he could, but there was one thing that changed.

He was ignoring her,avoiding her, and shunning her.

Angrily, Elyse had tried to confront him about it, but he had posted Dieter at his office, and Dieter told Elyse that no one was to bother him unless it was an emergency. Elyse was ready to rip Erwin's face.

They barely talked anymore. He would go down for dinner, and he would feed the kids, simply telling her that he had a new business venture and that he'd be spending more time away from the estate, as if he wasn't already doing that. He would only discuss about the children, and Elyse had stopped trying to talk to him about anything else, pissed at what he did of avoiding her and stopping her from barging into his office.

God, she hated him, and yet…

Sometimes, she missed him. He had been such a presence in her life ever since that winter night, unbearable or bearable, but him no being a presence now bothered her. Sure, he was still good with the kids and her, taking care of them, but it made her feel uncomfortable to share a life with someone who wouldn't talk to her.

But, the weird man refused to let her help him, so she had no choice but to comply.

Mikasa moved in her arms, snapping Elyse from her thoughts and she pointed to the backyard, meaning, in her baby language, that she wanted to go out. Elyse laughed, but an idea popped in her head.

"Dieter, Nifa! Can you get the babies ready for a trip outside?" Elyse called, getting up and carrying the squealing Mikasa. Elyse walked inside the nursery, and she groaned once she saw Eren fussing in poor Dieter's arms.

She placed Mikasa down in the playpen and she picked up the crying Eren, who stopped once his mother picked him up.

"How about we go outside? Would that make you happy, mon petite?" Elyse asked, in her baby voice, her excitement affecting the suddenly happy baby boy.

Dieter stared at her, warily, "Miss Elyse, I don't think that's a very good idea. The press will-"

Elyse waved his worry away, focusing on changing the babies while directing him to grab a baby bag.

"The press won't do anything especially with you near. Besides, I want to show them Paris not the backyard." Elyse stated, nuzzling Armin's drooling face as he grabbed his mother's face.

Elyse giggled, but she sighed inwardly as she looked at her biological baby. Armin was starting to look exactly like his father which rubbed the salt in the wound more. She remembered how floored she had been when her son opened his eyes for the first time. It was the moment after the tense discussion Erwin had with her about not having any sort of relationship with each other, which had her torn because her compassionate side was calling out to help him, but her angry, stubborn side made her want to rip his face off for being so frustrating.

Blue eyes that mirrored Erwin's looked back at her, and Elyse bit her lip, fighting the tears that were beginning to fall on her cheeks.

Elyse closed her eyes at the memory, but she smiled as soon as Armin babbled, "Ma." It had been his first word and it had been the happiest day of her life and she almost dropped the bottle she had been warming up for Eren.

She thanked Dieter for getting everything ready in the black SUV. They went downstairs, and they put everything they needed in the SUV and they left.

* * *

It had been a mistake. Elyse pressed a hand to her forehead as the press relentlessly tried to go through their security detail as they tried to take pictures of her children. Dieter shot her a look, and Elyse had no choice but to nod reluctantly. Dieter gathered two of the children, and Nifa gathered the supplies. Elyse chose to hold Mikasa because she was the one that was wailing the loudest at the confusion and chaos that was going around her.

Guilt teared Elyse apart, promising herself that she would have to wait for her children to get older in order to bring them out.

Once they all entered the car, Elyse sighed, "I'm sorry, Dieter, you were right."

Dieter didn't say anything for a moment, and then he said, "It's not easy being doing everything on your own."

That's when Elyse began to feel her eyes water, and she shook her head once Nifa shot a horrified Dieter a dirty look.

"He's right. It's hard. I feel like a single parent." Elyse whispered, softly, caressing Mikasa's head as she slept.

The ride back home was quiet.

* * *

When they got home, Dieter and Nifa helped Elyse bring the babies in. Once they settled them on the ground, the children began to squeal and Elyse looked up as she saw Erwin, angrily pacing the floor.

Erwin looked up then and motioned for them as they waddled to him. Elyse felt guilt once again shot down her spine as he began to gently inspect them, seeing if they were hurt in any way. Dieter and Nifa entered then after closing the car doors, and they paled once Erwin's glare met their gazes.

"I would like to talk to my wife alone. Bring the kids upstairs." Erwin ordered, sharply, once he was satisfied with his kids' inspection.

Elyes froze, as she watched Dieter and Nifa obey, immediately. The sound of the nursery door closing made Erwin stand, slowly, his back straight and his glare not leaving Elyse's form.

"You want to explain what you were thinking. They're barely one, Elyse. Have you not learned from your run-ins with the paparazzi? God, Elyse, do you understand what could've happened?" Erwin demanded, his jaw clenched as he studied her.

Elyse looked down, guiltily, "I realized I was wrong, Erwin. Please, can we not drag this out-"

"It's not only your life that you're responsible for. You have three other lives to think of. I have half a mind to punish you right now."

Rage blinded Elyse then. She was weary of feeling useless as she stayed in the estate, alone with wailing children sometimes. How dare he. How dare he make it seem like she was the only one responsible for their children.

"…Punish me? Are you fucking serious, Erwin? _I'm_ their mother. I'm the one who takes care of them, day in and day out. You have no right to say what I did was wrong. _You're_ the one who's barely here. And, of course, I feel fucking horrible, but fuck you, I'm human, Erwin. _Human_. Not everyone can be a damn dutiful robot like you." Elyse hissed, angrily, pushing a finger into his chest.

Erwin didn't blink nor did he move. He stood there, still glaring at her.

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression that you were a _saint_. You being so innocent and young. Perfect little Elyse, tell me when did you start deciding to curse at the man who practically takes care of you and our children." Erwin shot back, his eyes narrowing.

Elyse closed her eyes, clenching her fists, and she opened her eyes, shooting a poisonous look at him.

"Leave me alone, Erwin. You may be our children's father, but you are _nothing_ to me. Just like you wanted." Elyse stated, unflinching and unmoving under his domineering gaze.

With that said, Elyse fled up the stairs and opened the door to the nursey, meeting the sympathetic gaze of Nifa and an apologetic one from Dieter.

"Leave me alone with them, please." Elyse ordered, softly. Nifa and Dieter nodded, hesitantly, and left, closing the door behind them.

She approached their cribs, watching as they fed quietly. So innocent, so oblivious to what was going on with their parents. That's when Elyse began to think about the future, how they were going to question what was going on with their parents, being confused of what love is because they can't see it between her and Erwin, not a single trace.

"I'm sorry." Elyse whispered, tracing Eren's cheek as he began to sleepily drink his bottle, "I'm sorry."

That's when all the frustration and loneliness came out as Elyse softly sobbed.

* * *

She didn't see Erwin after that. And before she knew it, she realized that Erwin had left that same night they fought and hadn't come back home yet. She didn't feel any emotion at that, all she felt was stress at the thought of her brother and father coming home to an Erwin-less home.

That would surely upset her father. He would probably think about his business failing rather than worry about his daughter's well-being.

Her 18th birthday was tomorrow, and she wanted to at least have a happy occasion. Her 17th birthday had been spent cleaning up diapers and feeding crying children while Erwin was at work, ignoring her, and Dieter and Nifa were off doing errands.

But, Elyse found herself worrying about nothing as he watched Levi, her father, and Erwin come out the car the week after. Elyse ran to her brother, his arms wide open, and she laughed when he grunted at the force.

"It's not like I died, Ely." Levi said, his voice muffled by her hair, but Elyse didn't let go for another moment.

Elyse turned to greet her father by kissing his cheek and he actually smiled a little at her. "You look well for a mother who has three children." He said, and was that a bit of teasing in his voice?

Elyse smiled at the compliment, realizing that she did slightly miss her father, and that's when she knew she was lonely.

She hesitantly turned to look at Erwin, but he already had passed them, dealing with Dieter at the front door, talking to him about something.

Elyse sighed, inwardly, in relief.

Neither Ackerman men seemed to notice the tension between the couple as they walked inside the house.

"So, where are they?" Levi asked after a moment. Elyse smiled at that and called for Nifa. Nifa appeared, carrying Mikasa and Armin, while Eren wobbled next to her, holding onto her pants.

Levi's eyes softened at the sight of them. He bent down to deal with Eren first, who stared at him curiously. Levi held his hands out and Eren, courageously, went up to him and he fell into Levi's waiting arms, looking at him.

Elyse felt a warm feeling as Levi picked him up and squeezed Eren's nose, playfully, and Eren giggled at that. Her father simply stared at the spectacle, unimpressed, yet Elyse noticed that he stared at the babies, with a slight turn of his mouth, but he began to talk to Erwin and Erwin nodded, motioning to go upstairs up to his office.

The men excused themselves and Levi stayed to play with the kids, who were now climbing all over him, curiously.

"That's your uncle, little ones." Elyse introduced, sweetly. Amused at how curious her kids could be, Elyse pried them off of their uncle before they started biting, due to their curiosity. Eren also had the habit of doing it.

Levi watched as Elyse placed them in their play pen in the living room and he watched as Armin grabbed a long dark lock, refusing to let go of his mother's hand.

"He really does look like Erwin." Levi stated, scrutinizing the little boy as Armin finally let go of her. He stared at Eren, wordlessly, and Elyse knew he was thinking about their mother, so she changed the subject.

"Mikasa is beginning to look like tante." Elyse mused, softly, watching as Mikasa picked up a toy to play with. Levi nodded, turning his attention to the little girl.

It was quiet for a moment, but Levi turned to Elyse and she raised an eyebrow in questioning, "What is it?" She asked.

"Erwin…he told me that you know about…" Levi trailed off as if trying to find the right words. Elyse paled, her heart beginning to beat faster.

 _About how he almost choked me to death and how I told him that he was nothing to me._

Elyse waited, the dread almost eating her alive as Levi tried to find the right words.

"Elyse, he admitted what he'd done to you because he respects me enough to tell me when he's in the wrong especially when it comes to my sister. He also mentioned how he's now keeping his distance from you and the kids." Levi stated, carefully.

Elyse sighed, irritably, at the last part. "Stupid, right?" Levi raised an eyebrow at her, but he sighed after a moment, "Look, Elyse, I believe that Erwin is doing what is best with the situation right now."

Elyse, bitter and angry from all the loneliness and helplessness she felt the whole year surged within her being, and she grabbed her brother's arm, leading him in a secluded part of the living room so she could voice her anger without being angry in front of the gurgling babies.

"I begged him to ask for help, and he told me he did all he could. Fine, I get that, but that doesn't excuse you for not being there for your partner, because it takes two to make a baby, when you promised to try and start being friends with each other because God knows that the romantic prospect of the relationship flew past when you marry a stranger."

Levi simply listened, trying to grasp that the angry words were coming from his sister.

"Don't get me started on how if he really did all he could, then why marry someone and have a family with them just to shut them out."

Levi stopped Elyse there, pinning her with a glare that immediately made her close her mouth.

"Elyse." The way her brother said her name made her freeze. She had pissed him off.

"I know that you're angry. I know that you're lonely. But, you need to understand that PTSD is a real thing." Levi stated the last part with a strained note.

"Of course, I knew that. I'm not oblivious to it, and I knew you had it once you moved to the city after Germany. You didn't have to tell me, your nightmares did." Elyse stated, sharply, tired of being treated like she was a little girl.

Levi nodded, sharply, and he relaxed, giving up, "That's not all you have to understand, Elyse…Erwin and I, we served in the Army, but we served in a…special unit. One that might kill me since I revealed it to you."

Elyse paused then. Staring at her brother, shocked and terrified, Elyse tried to make sense of what he was insinuating. _A special unit that takes their secrecy seriously._

"What are you saying…" Elyse finally managed to say, still hesitant.

Levi looked at her, his narrowed gaze tense and serious, "The day that Erwin mentioned his plan of marrying you to save you from father's wrath, I had been hesitant. I knew of his struggle, but I respected his moral ideals into making sure that you were going to be taken care of and that his child would be legitimately his. You never mentioned any attacks, so I was thankful and pleasantly surprised with how Erwin was handling everything. Before he had an attack, he mentioned how he was becoming more relaxed in your presence and the children's, so he thought it would be safe for him to be around you and them, which triggered what happened to you and what almost happened to Mikasa."

"Levi, you're saying things that I already know." Elyse stated, her anger and bitterness returning at the memory of the night Erwin decided to shut himself out of their growing family without thinking of how it would affect them.

Levi shook his head, grabbing her arm, "I'm not finished, Elyse. Once he told me that, of course, I yelled at him, told him he was an idiot for letting himself go. But, after a moment, I remembered how much he struggled after he got home from it all. We all did. But, Erwin…the man had it bad, Ely. He needed more than a normal PTSD therapy, and I don't blame him. Do you think Erwin wanted to marry you and have children just so he could treat you this way? He may have had his dutiful reasons with marrying you, but he really loves the kids. Erwin just wanted to be human with a family of his own, but it almost got him to kill you and Mikasa. Do you understand that, Elyse?"

Elyse had begun shaking at that point, wrapping her arms around her as she imagined the horrors that surrounded Erwin when he came back. Her brother had mentioned how bad it had been for himself and Elyse witnessed it firsthand, but he said that Erwin was worse, and that made Elyse want to cry and run to Erwin to apologize for what she did…for what she said to him.

"I understand." Elyse stated, quietly. Levi softened then, letting her arm go.

"If Erwin could, he would. You should at least know that about the man, Ely." With that said, Levi shot a sympathetic look at Elyse, and all Elyse could do was mentally kick herself.

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair. The usual even without guests when Erwin would come home and Elyse would feed the kids, the sounds of silverware meeting porcelain and babies gurgling would be the only sounds heard.

Her father, Levi, and Erwin were having a quiet discussion while Elyse fed the babies, distracting herself with them. When her father and Levi retired to their rooms, with Nifa being on vacation and Dieter on duty, Elyse placed the babies back in their cribs, thanking God that they fell asleep quickly. Elyse heard Erwin's office door that led to the nursery creak open, quietly.

She looked up and she saw Erwin, looking slightly disheveled with his tie loose on his neck and his top button on his dress shirt unbuttoned, pausing at the sight of her.

They stared at each other for a moment before he looked away first, clearing his throat, softly.

"I apologize. I didn't know you were in here." Erwin said, smoothly, as if they never had _that_ argument.

Elyse approached him, slowly, and Erwin watched her, carefully. He still held on to the door knob and Elyse noticed that his knuckles were showing white from him clutching it, tightly.

"I should be the one apologizing." Elyse said, softly, as she bit her lip, nervously. Erwin seemed a bit taken aback, but understanding dawned on his features.

"Levi said something, didn't he? He should know better than to slip up like that." Erwin sighed, wearily, and Elyse noticed that his hold on the door knob loosened and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"He said something to put me in my place. I shouldn't have the said the things I did." Elyse apologized, trying to defend her brother's actions.

Erwin glared at her, as if he was reprimanding her, "Elyse, you have no reason to apologize. If that's how you feel, then so be it."

God, why was he still being frustrating?

Stamping down her frustration, Elyse stared at him, completely sympathetic, "No, you don't understand…I've been feeling bitter and lonely because…well, I don't really have anyone here besides the babies and the help, which is great, but it's still lonely. I used to be surrounded by the people I care about, but now, I'm not. The babies are great, but taking care of them is a hassle in its own. Dieter and Nifa are nice, but they don't get too personal for understandable reasons. I had you, but…you disappeared and I got hurt."

That last part was hard for her to admit and Erwin stared at her as if she suddenly had two heads. Where is a rock, so she could crawl into it and hide?

"So, that's why I said those things. And, I hope you will forgive me." Elyse finished, trying to prompt him to speak to her.

"…Elyse. I didn't realize…" Erwin trailed off and he groaned, cursing to himself, quietly, "Shit, I'm a fucking idiot."

Elyse didn't know what to say to _that_. She was uncomfortable and nervous and she didn't know what to do as she stood there while the man she had barely spoken to for a year now stood there, having an existential crisis.

Erwin finally stood up, straight, and he walked towards her in one swift stride and she stiffened when he grabbed both her arms.

"You're saying that you…missed me? Truly?" He asked it, as if demanding a criminal of an answer.

Elyse blushed at that, but she nodded, slowly. "We were becoming friends, and it was nice." She offered, lamely.

Erwin smiled at that, and Elyse was struck with how much she missed his smiling face. After a moment, a frown darkened his face and he stepped away with a sigh, warning Elyse.

Erwin looked at her then at the babies, hesitantly. He offered her an arm, motioning for her to follow him.

"Let's discuss this in the office." Erwin stated, quietly, opening the door for her while placing a hand on the small of her back, leading her inside his office.

Once he closed the door, he motioned for Elyse to sit in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Erwin asked as he walked towards the mini-bar he had next to his desk.

 _Something that will make me relaxed in your company would be nice._

"No, I'm fine." Elyse replied, softly. She heard Erwin pour his usual drink, Jameson. She had noticed that was his favorite when he got home for dinner, and she made a note of that and told Nifa to always have it prepared in the house.

That was when she was still trying to be friends with him, and he didn't even tell her if he noticed or not, still pointedly avoiding her.

Erwin returned, sitting on the chair next to hers that was also facing the fireplace. He took a long gulp from it before putting it down on his arm rest as he swirled the contents in it around.

It was quiet, and Elyse waited for Erwin to talk before she would start losing it, mentally.

"I'll go back." Erwin finally stated, his voice low and lost in thought. Elyse turned to stare at him, but he was busy staring at the fireplace, his concentrated blue eyes too lost in thought.

"…I'm sorry?" Elyse asked, confused. Erwin took another sip, "I'll go back to therapy."

Elyse blinked.

"It might not work, but it's a start." Erwin said again, standing up, immediately restless as he still held on to his drink and putting a hand in one of the pockets of his dress pants.

 _Of course, he looks like a damn movie star. Oh, Elyse, pay attention, will you._

"Therapy? For the…attacks?" Elyse asked, trying to make sense of it all.

Erwin nodded, "Yes, the last time I went must've been at least seven years ago. But, I think it's necessary once more." Elyse was too startled to respond, scared that Erwin might bolt once more if she voiced any sort of opinion.

He turned around and placed his drink on the coffee table and walked towards her, bending down to look up at her. He, gently, grabbed her hands and he held her hesitant gaze.

"I'm truly sorry about what I said, too. I…I have missed your company and the children, and I took it out on you because…Elyse, you can hear this a thousand times and deny it, but you are…a saint. Now, don't protest, just listen. You gave up everything to marry a stranger and have taken two children in your care while giving an excruciatingly painful birth to our son. You had a dream and you had a life before this, and you gave it up because…you are compassionate and kind. You have such a beautiful soul."

Elyse was floored, flustered and her eyes darted around the office, trying to avoid his gaze. A gentle tug of her chin made her look at him, and he smiled at her, dazzling and gorgeous as always.

"I will try to give you what you want. A friend. It will be hard, but-"

"It won't be hard because I'll be here. I want to be friends, Erwin." Elyse interrupted, finally finding her voice as soon as she heard the doubt in his voice.

They have gone so far, and Elyse wasn't about to have him retract on her now. She started feeling slightly powerful, as if she was appointed to be Erwin's emotional guardian at this point.

Erwin chuckled, and Elyse's heart ached. She had missed that sound. She had missed the ability to make him smile and laugh with her stories or words.

The clock struck midnight and the sound of church bells echoed in his office, and Elyse froze, worried that the babies might wake at the sound. Also, she was confused. She never heard the sound of church bells in their manor before.

Erwin noticed and laughed, "Don't worry. This office is soundproof. I usually take phone calls on speakerphone. Also, I tend to curse loudly."

It was Elyse's turn to laugh and it felt good to let go.

The slight pressure on her hands made her look down and she saw Erwin placing a kiss on her hands, and she blushed as he looked up at her, smiling.

"By the way, Happy Birthday, Elyse." Erwin greeted.

Elyse rolled her eyes, finally feeling at ease, "You're not smooth at all."

Erwin shrugged and chuckled, and Elyse knew that they were finally on the way to being friends once more.

* * *

Her brother insisted on punching her arm 18 times to keep up their birthday tradition, and Elyse whined.

Elyse didn't want a big celebration much to her father's disappointment. He wanted to use it as a business boost, so Elyse compromised. The backyard at the manor held a beautiful rose garden with antique patio furniture. She would take the kids out there whenever she thought it would be good to have fresh air. The sound of the water crashing on the crocks sounded, and it used to calm Elyse when she watched the kids. So, her father invited some of the business partners including the Mr. Garnier who she was supposed to marry to their house for a garden party in the evening. And, they were preparing for it.

Elyse sat down to take a break and Levi had begun the punches.

"You're the one who started the tradition, Elyse. I don't understand why you should be exempted from it." Levi argued, placing the last punch on her upper arm.

"I started it because it was an excuse to annoy you." Elyse argued back, rubbing her upper arm, "Besides, I'm a mother now. You can't just punch my arms anymore. I need them to carry my precious children."

Levi pointed at Erwin with a pointed look, "That's why you have that large man to help you." Elyse looked towards the direction he was pointing at, and she softened at the sight. Erwin was holding Mikasa as he watched Eren and Armin waddle around everywhere.

Elyse bit her lip in worry when she saw Armin fall, but once he got up, she sighed in relief.

"Look at you, being all motherly." Levi teased. "It seems like yesterday when you came up to me, crying about how you shit your pants."

"You're so lucky I love you." Elyse mumbled, bright red at the mention of an unfortunate incident in her life.

Levi shrugged, chuckling. He looked to where she had been looking before and he cleared his throat, "So, I take it that you and Erwin talked."

Elyse smiled, slightly, at her brother. "Yeah, we did. He told me he's planning to go back to therapy."

Levi nodded at that, a smile playing on his lips, "Well, well, what did I tell you about him being a good man?"

Elyse rolled her eyes, "The man is good, but he's dense and unreadable. I had to admit to him that I had missed him before he realized that he wasn't doing anyone any favors with his avoidance."

Levi hummed in agreement.

"Levi, Elyse. It's time." Erwin called as he motioned for Nifa to pick up Eren and Armin. Elyse could see the cars approaching the winding road, slowly, and she sighed, shooting her brother an amused look.

Levi shot one back, and Elyse realized that she didn't know what being lonely was anymore.

* * *

The birthday celebration, Elyse pleasantly thought, wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. The evening cool fall air was enjoyable and the ambiance and the setting was gorgeous. Her father and Levi weren't fighting, and Elyse noticed that her father and her brother were talking to business partners _together_. She was taken aback by that, but she didn't dare question it.

Maybe it was a birthday miracle.

Wives of the business partners were young. Not _her_ age, but they were young compared to their own decaying husbands. Some were nice, which Elyse felt they had to be, and some were straight-up nasty, thinking that Elyse wasn't a big deal.

 _Yes, because your husbands don't work under my father, my brother, and husband._

The babies were a joy for everyone who met them. The ladies cooed and played while the men slapped Erwin's back, drunkenly congratulating him for joining parenthood.

Elyse realized that this would technically be the first public appearance of her babies, but Erwin had calmed her, saying that it was a small group compared to what they were usually used to. He was right, as always. The babies were more curious than scared as they basked in the attention, and it also made them tire easily.

Elyse thanked Nifa and Dieter as they moved them to the nursery.

"Miss Elyse! Happy birthday!" A pleasant voice greeted her. Elyse looked to where the voice was and she broke out into a huge smile at seeing the source of the voice.

"Petra! Wow, it's been forever!" Elyse greeted, hugging the petite blonde tightly.

Petra giggled at that and sighed, "Being your husband's assistant means that I have to be in charge of all the business ventures. He bought a lot in the last year, and I don't even know why. He's selling most of them, keeping one, which is a bit odd."

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that, too, "Just one business venture? Which one is it?"

Petra opened her mouth to respond, but a sight behind Elyse must've surprised her as she gasped, softly. Elyse turned around and she saw her brother staring at Petra, also taken aback.

"Levi?" Petra asked, as if she couldn't believe he was there. Levi got up and approached them, slowly.

"Hello, Petra. It's been awhile." Levi greeted, acknowledging her with a nod of his head.

Elyse could feel some awkwardness in the air and she wished that she could disappear in that moment because it was pretty quiet and they were just _staring_ at each other.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to-"

"Elyse." Erwin called her name, and Elyse looked up, gratefully. He motioned for her to come over as he stood with a group of men.

"Seems that my husband needs me, so…" Elyse trailed off, leaving quickly, trying to be discreet. She walked over to Erwin, who smiled at her and placed an arm around her waist. He gave her a look before turning back to the group of men.

 _Ah, he wants me to play the wife. Got it._

Elyse placed the pretty smile she practiced back in Julliard during her acting classes, and by the appreciative looks of the men, it means it had worked.

"Good evening, gentlemen." Elyse greeted, turning on a hostess charm, "I hope you're enjoying yourselves tonight."

"Ah, Miss Elyse. Your estate is charming." One of the men complimented. "Almost as charming as the birthday girl herself."

A practiced giggle slipped through her lips as she swatted his arm, playfully, "Oh, please, you flatter me too much, Mr.…?"

"Mr. Pixis. Mr. Dot Pixis. I worked with your father _and_ your husband back in Germany. It's a small world out here."

Elyse found herself completely charmed by the man even though he seemed a bit drunk.

Erwin chuckled at that, his arm still around her waist, playing the doting husband, "You just happen to work with everyone, Pixis."

The men began to laugh at that, and Elyse smiled, politely. She scanned their faces and she noticed that one of them was staring at her a bit _too_ much. She wondered who he was, and if someone answered her thoughts, the man opened his mouth.

"So, Elyse, tell us, how did you manage to land our stoic Erwin here?" He asked, and Elyse knew it was meant to be teasing but she could sense the seriousness in his voice. The men didn't seem to notice as they eagerly laughed and encouraged her to answer.

"Well, we first met at a party that my father held at our house back in New York City. He was visiting my brother back then and he had been trailing me throughout the whole party without talking to me. I just had it and turned to him and demanded him to talk to me if he was insistent on following me the whole night. The rest was history." Elyse lied through her teeth.

She added the Erwin stalking her part for her amusement and a warning pinch from Erwin made her smile even wider at him.

 _That's right, Erwin. You creepy man._

"Well, that seems to be Erwin's way of picking up women." The man said, his teasing tone still holding that serious note.

Elyse laughed with the rest of the men, but Elyse noticed that Erwin was too busy staring at the man who spoke.

"Niles, how is your wife?" Erwin suddenly asked, smiling his secret smile. Elyse noticed that the man, Niles, blanched at that, but he smiled back.

"She's fine. She's carrying our second child. That's why she couldn't make it tonight." Niles stated, and Elyse was starting to know the tension between the two men.

She decided to cut in.

"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen. I must attend to the other guests. Such a pleasure to speak with you." Elyse said, pleasantly. She stole a quick glance at Erwin, his nonchalant face actually looked threatening as he stared at the man before him.

"Honey," Elyse called for him, her voice holding the slightest hint of warning, "would you like to join me in greeting our guests?"

Erwin seemed to wake up at that and he looked down, his arm tightening around her waist, smiling a trained smile.

"Of course, dear. If you'll excuse us." Erwin excused them, and he brought them aside to join other people.

Before they could, Elyse looked up at him, worried, "Are you okay, Erwin?"

Erwin nodded, sharply, "Yeah, it's just that even if it's a party, you must be on guard all the time. Men like them are dangerous game players. I just happen to be really good at the game."

Elyse laughed at that, softly. He was starting to open up to her, and with his weird lingo, she found herself at ease.

Ironically, playing pretend with Erwin was starting to feel normal once more.

* * *

A:N/ YAY PROGRESS. YAY BETTER ENDING THAN BEFORE. BUT, WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

Also, on a more serious note, I'm keeping France in my prayers. And, as you can tell by this story, I am in love with France even if I still haven't gotten to visit this lovely country. Pray for France xx.


	12. Chapter 12

A:N/ The usual. Elyse belongs to me. Everyone else belongs to the Titans.

* * *

Eren was turning one and so was Mikasa a couple weeks after. Planning a birthday for each of them in the upcoming week was starting to become stressful. Levi had offered to help, but ever since her 18th birthday, her brother has been busy with Erwin.

Their father revealed that he was going to give Levi some responsibility and that had shocked the Ackerman siblings to no end. The fact that their father was playing with the babies before he left was also terrifyingly shocking.

But the softening of her father was the least shock. Her brother actually complying to her father's wishes, and she had almost teased her brother until he shot her a warning look, so she simply smiled and kept quiet.

Well, now that the men in her family were a little bit busier, Elyse had struggled with the party planning especially when it came to the guest lists. Erwin had told her that the business ventures that he bought and then sold got him many connections and that it would kill two birds with one stone with inviting them. Elyse was surprised and a bit disappointed about it, but Erwin gave her a pointed look and sat her down.

"Elyse, I know that you've been away from the spotlight for a while, and I made sure that you were because of the pregnancy and the children. But, I can't keep the spotlight away forever. With inviting these business partners, the spotlight will not only be on me, but it'll be on you." Erwin explained, trying to make her understand.

Realization dawned on her. And she groaned.

"Exactly," Erwin sighed, "It's been a year away from the press and the constant hounding from friends and acquaintances. With our lives, we can't stay in hiding forever."

Fear seized Elyse, "What about the children? Can't we just hide them for a while? I don't want another incident with the press." Elyse said, grabbing Erwin's arm.

Erwin patted her hand, comfortingly, "With you finally out and about, the press will be busy with that. Besides, Dieter and Nifa will be here with them when we have to go out."

"Going out? You mean…"

"Business parties, events, and dinners. The people I do business with don't like knowing about my wife and not seeing her. It's a plus to look like a family man to them. It's irritating, but what can you do?" Erwin apologized, half-heartedly trying to make a joke.

Elyse smiled back, but her eyes twinkled in amusement, "So, I'm joining the game?" She asked, teasingly.

Erwin smiled at that, "Everyone needs a good partner."

So, here she was, in a banquet hall, supposedly planning a birthday party for Eren, her first one-year old child. She was stubbornly holding on to the fact that her baby would _at least_ have balloons and a kid-themed party. Erwin had laughed at that, but he told her it should be fine.

With that idea, Elyse told him to tell the guests to bring their children and he complied.

Finishing the final touches to the venue, Elyse was finally satisfied before she walked outside to wait for the car. Dieter was at her side, asking if everything was okay. Elyse smiled and was about to tell him about her day until a cameraman and a reporter ran up to her, asking her questions.

"Elyse, Elyse! What brings you here today?" The reporter asked, urgently, and that's when the press began to swarm around her.

"Elyse! Look over here!"

"Elyse, how are the children?"

"You look gorgeous, what's your secret?"

"Miss Elyse, come here." Dieter stated, putting an arm around her, but she smiled at him and shook her head. He looked surprised, but he obeyed.

Elyse took a deep breath and she turned to press, smiling, "Hello, everyone. It's nice to see all of you, but I really need to go now." That's when Dieter knew that was his cue as he began to usher her out.

The press still clamored as she made her way through, but Elyse waved and smiled, playing the perfect little heiress that the press had claimed her to be.

* * *

Once she got in the car, she took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair.

 _So much for living a quiet life._

Elyse got home to happy children as they crawled and stomped their chubby feet towards her. Elyse laughed, greeting them with kisses. "You are going to have a great birthday, Eren. Don't worry, Armin, your birthday is coming soon. Yes, it is. Yes, it is." Elyse cooed, as her children babbled, happily.

Nifa waited patiently for her mistress to finish up greeting her kids before she informed Elyse, "Mr. Smith called. He said to meet him at his office for dinner. Apparently, your father is asking for you to be there."

Elyse nodded, sighing, she thought she would be able to rest for a bit with the children, but when father calls, father calls. Putting her hair down, she carried Armin and let Eren and Mikasa climb up the stair by holding NIfa's hands. As Armin placed his head on his mother's shoulder, Elyse smiled, softly, kissing his forehead.

She hated when she had to leave her children sometimes, but she did crave going out most of the time. She was an adventurer since she was a kid on the streets of Paris with her teenage brother, as he showed her everything, until she was a student in New York City.

When she was satisfied with her kids playing, she blew them a kiss, and they waved their hands with their excited babbling.

Petra had outdone herself once more. Elyse looked at herself in the mirror, appreciating how she looked in the one-shoulder mahogany body-con midi dress. Elyse realized that the last time she did her makeup, professionally, was at her birthday party, and now, she had been enjoying putting her makeup since then, realizing that she had the time now. So, with simple mascara and eyeliner, a hint of blush and bronzer, and a natural lip color, Elyse felt proud of herself as she stared at her reflection.

She had put her hair off to one side, pinning up the side that would cover her shoulder if she didn't put it up. Pairing of the dress, Elyse grabbed black strappy heels that made her happy that she could wear heels again and a simple clutch.

She gave herself one more look in the mirror, smoothing out the dress once more. She lost the pregnancy weight, slowly, due to her being extremely active with the kids and running errands around the estate, but that meant she lost the toned muscles she had as a dancer, but that could be easily fixed, reminding herself to get back into her training regime as much as she could.

Her father had always been very critical of her and her brother's appearance since they were young, embracing the European fashion and reminding them that the only time they could look relaxed is when no one was around them.

That's when she thought of how her brother still wore a cravat to this day, amused.

She walked downstairs and Dieter nodded, giving her a slight smile, and Nifa gasped in awe, "You look gorgeous, Miss Elyse." Nifa gushed.

Dieter nodded, silently, agreeing with the small woman. Elyse blushed, and thanked them. She kissed Nifa's cheek as a goodbye, who still flushed at that affection, but Elyse was adamant about being friendly with her staff besides they were in _Paris_. It's not normal to not greet or leave without a kiss on the cheek.

Elyse thanked Dieter as he helped her in the car. Once the door closed, Elyse checked her phone to see if anyone contacted her and she realized that she had a notification sent to her from Petra.

It was a news article and she looked at it, slightly surprised. The headline read: ELYSE JAEGER-ACKERMAN FINALLY SHINING IN PUBLIC.

It went on to talk about how she was friendly and how the press had been excited to the see the heiress and couldn't wait to see more of her.

Immediately overwhelmed, Elyse realized that her quiet life wasn't going to be so quiet anymore.

* * *

She was correct to assume that because once she reached Erwin's building, a small group of press was waiting for her. She had assumed at first that they were waiting for someone else, but the moment she saw a distressed Petra waiting for her inside, through the glass doors, Elyse braced herself as Dieter rushed to open her door and protect her at the same time.

The press began their usual yelling, trying to catch her attention, and Elyse did her best to keep her practiced smile on her face as she walked through with the help of Dieter. Once the glass doors closed behind her, the security detail that usually followed Erwin guarded the doors.

Elyse walked up to Petra, giving her a comforting hug as Petra visibly relaxed, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss Elyse. I think one of the workers here tipped the press that you'll be coming tonight."

Elyse shook her head, "It's fine, Petra. Might as well try to get used to it."

Petra still sighed, but she let go of Elyse as she noticed her dress, and she smiled, proudly.

"You look beautiful, Miss Elyse." Petra complimented her, applauding herself for a job well done and Elyse laughed at that. "Come, let's go upstairs. They're waiting for you." Petra said, leading Elyse to the elevator with Dieter trailing behind them.

The elevator led them to the top floor and the elevator attendant, a young boy, seemed to be floored by her and she tried to smile reassuringly at him, which made him more flustered. The doors opened, revealing a large waiting room with a gorgeous secretary waiting for them at the receptionist table.

Petra walked up to the table, speaking in French to her, and Elyse felt nostalgic with the language, appreciating the sounds.

"Isabelle, this is Miss Elyse, Mr. Smith's wife." Petra introduced, motioning towards Elyse. The gorgeous secretary got up, and she made her way to Elyse, giving the usual two kisses on each cheek in greeting. Elyse found herself appreciative of the gesture, realizing that she truly missed her French roots.

"Miss Elyse, a pleasure. I am your husband's secretary and I also help Petra with other errands." Isabelle introduced herself, warmly. Elyse nodded her head, "Thank you for all your hard work, Isabelle. I do hope my husband isn't hard on you."

The slight darkening look at Elyse's words on Isabella's face had made Elyse suddenly uncomfortable and she almost blushed at the look, realizing that it was very similar to the looks that Erwin and her had exchanged when they first met.

"Oh, your husband isn't very hard on me at all. If anything, he's very easy." Isabella laughed, the look disappearing, but the small playful smile was still there.

That's when a lightbulb popped in Elyse's head.

 _Oh._

She couldn't think more of it since Petra excused them and was now leading Elyse to the wooden doors that led to Erwin's office. Petra knocked on the doors, loudly, and Erwin's voice called out, "Come in."

Petra opened the doors and Elyse gasped at how _huge_ Erwin's office was. The open windows and warm fireplace were what her eyes were drawn to, but Erwin's office desk seemed tiny compared to the size of the office. Her father and brother were sitting in the small resting area that was in front of Erwin's office desk. It had leather couches and a coffee table in between. A small mini-bar was at the side of the resting area. If Elyse didn't know any better, it was the exact replica of Erwin's office back at their estate except this place was _huge_ and had the gorgeous view of Paris outside his windows.

Erwin was standing next to the mini-bar, pouring a drink, when he looked up and saw her. He paused, and Elyse shyly stared back, finally feeling a little uncomfortable with all the attention since she left home. Was it too much? Her father and brother were deep in conversation, acknowledging her with a nod before returning to their talk.

Erwin finally made the first move as he smiled at her, politely. He walked towards her, drink in hand, and he bent down grab her hand and kiss it. "You look beautiful, Elyse."

Elyse thanked him, bashfully, but she was stopped by his chuckle, "Like a pumpkin." He whispered, quietly, just so she could hear.

A flash of annoyance crossed her face as she pushed him away, playfully. She breathed a sigh of relief when he had teased her. She felt more comfortable when he was playful rather than serious with her.

Her father and brother decided to stop what they were talking to turn and acknowledge their favorite girl. "Elyse, come here. I want to discuss something with you and your brother." Her father stated, motioning for her.

Elyse shot Erwin a cross-eyed look and Erwin chuckled as he pushed her towards her family. Elyse obeyed as she moved to sit next to her father. She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and he smiled at her, giving her a once-over look.

"Beautiful, my dear. Motherhood really does agree with you, you're positively glowing." Her father stated, pleasantly. Elyse laughed at that, mentally rolling her eyes, "You must be already drunk, papa." The darkened look made Elyse stop her teasing as she realized that she was talking to her _father_ , not Levi or Erwin, and she coughed slightly, bowing her head in apology.

She heard Levi stifle a laugh and through veiled hair, she shot him a glare while he purposely looked away, drinking his drink.

"Anyways, I need to discuss the plan of the company in the near future." Her father continued, taking everything by stride, "I was just talking to your brother how I plan for him to take over in New York while your husband continues to take over here."

That really shocked Elyse.

She turned to her brother, and she noticed that he looked at her, ready for her questions.

"Father and I have made a compromise. I've decided to take over for an interim until someone more qualified shows up." Levi explained, and Elyse noticed that her father looked disgruntled at that, but he let his son continue, "If I do like leading the company, then I'll take over just like father wanted."

Elyse was even more confused, "When…?" She trailed off, not sure if she should question the tension that had happened with her brother and her father before.

Her father sighed, turning to his daughter, and he took her hand, "I'm…I'm getting old, my dear. I've decided to swallow my pride just this once with your brother because it does belong to him and you and your children."

Elyse softened at that, "Papa, I didn't realize that you were that scared." Her father shrugged, patting her hand, "I want what's best for my family, no matter what. We may have our differences, but I'm adamant about our company. Besides, with Erwin leading our Paris sales since you both moved here-"

"Wait, what?" Elyse asked, surprised, turning to her husband, who simply stared at her, nonchalantly.

Her father looked at her confused and Elyse noticed that he also shot Erwin a look of confusion, "Your husband took over Mr. Garnier's job at least a year ago, Elyse. Did you not tell her, Erwin?"

Elyse simply stared at her husband, a little miffed at the news. Erwin sighed, and he looked at her father rather than at her, "With three kids and me being at work all the time, it slipped my mind."

Her father nodded in understanding, but Elyse was far away from understanding.

 _That sneaky bastard. You had every opportunity to let me know._

She turned away from her husband, and she lost herself in her thoughts as her father talked once more.

 _Why didn't he tell me? We did have that year of not talking, but that still doesn't give him an excuse. Is he trying to undermine my authority with my father's company? No, don't think that, Elyse. But, why is he so damn infuriating? It's not as if it was hard to tell me._

She let out a sigh at her complicated thoughts, and her brother calling her name made her back to paying attention.

"Shall we go to dinner now?" Levi asked, standing up and offering his arm to her. She gratefully accepted it and as they all left, she pointedly ignored Erwin's stare before they left the office.

Dinner was pleasant. Elyse was right about her father already being a little out of it, but now, he was _really_ out of it. He was waving his glass around, laughing with Erwin, and slapping Levi's back.

Elyse was very glad that she was seated next to her brother and Erwin. A pinch to her waist made her look up from playing with her food and she involuntarily looked up at Erwin, but she realized that it wasn't him because he was still busy talking to her father.

A chuckle from her other side made her blush, and she pushed her brother in annoyance as he began to laugh.

"I can't believe you thought it was Erwin. Are you guys into that or something? I mean, I'm not judging or anything…" Levi whispered to her, playfully.

"Shut up." Elyse hissed back, still bright red.

"Is everything all right?" Erwin asked them, his attention turning to them and Elyse hastily nodded while Levi shrugged in amusement.

"Elyse, are you feeling well? You seem flushed." Erwin said, turning his attention to her, placing a hand on Elyse's forehead, and Elyse grabbed his hand, and it looked gentle, but she squeezed his hand, tightly, before dropping it, smiling innocently at him.

"I'm fine, Erwin."

She knew that Erwin didn't miss the warning tone in her voice and he bent down to whisper in her ear when he noticed that Levi went back to distracting Ansel.

"Explain." Erwin stated, quietly. Elyse rolled her eyes, facing him, not even realizing that their faces were inches away.

"Why did you lie to me? You're a CEO, Erwin, not an actuary. A CEO of my father's Parisian company is a big deal unless you really think that I'm not _allowed_ to know that." Elyse whispered back, noticing that she was starting to get more upset with every word.

Erwin sighed, "Elyse, I'm sorry, but we were at…odds back then. I didn't think it was smart to tell you just like that. I didn't want you to think that I also married you to get ahead in the business game. And, over time, it did really slip my mind to tell you."

Elyse tried to understand, but she still felt betrayed a bit, but she forced herself to nod and she returned to facing her food, eating. Erwin's stare throughout the whole dinner proved that he didn't believe that she understood one bit.

* * *

She wished her brother and her father goodnight and they promised to visit soon to see the children. Her father promised more because he was leaving the next afternoon. But, then again, he was extremely drunk, so Elyse wouldn't be surprised if he didn't show up, but she mentally made a note to prepare the estate for her father.

Erwin helped her in the car and once he got in, the ride back home was starting to get a bit awkward. With a hand signal, Erwin motioned for Dieter to put up the tarp in the car so Elyse and him could speak privately.

"Elyse, please tell me what's bothering you, so we can fix this." Erwin finally said, looking at her. Elyse was still looking out the window, but she complied as she faced him.

"Don't you realize that it sucks living with a husband who keeps things from you? I want to trust you at least, Erwin, but I don't." Elyse replied, her frown deepening.

Erwin nodded, "I apologize, Elyse. I don't mean to hide things from you. I'm used to being alone and dealing with things alone." He explained it so nicely, Elyse couldn't find it in her heart to remain stubborn at him.

"It's fine, Erwin. Just…don't hide, okay? I'm here and you can talk to me especially when it involves our family." Elyse said, not even realizing that she said, 'our.'

Erwin smiled at that, "Our family?" He asked, playfully. Elyse paused and she rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, our family. You joined the emotionally and physically-stunted Ackerman family the day you decided to hand yourself to my father."

The sound of their laughter lifted up the tension the way back home.

* * *

Once they got home, they were greeted by a stressed Nifa and three wailing children. Feeling bad for Nifa, Elyse relieved Nifa by picking up the child who was crying the most which tended to be Eren, and in this case, Eren.

"Aw, mon petite, why are you crying, hm?" Elyse cooed, as she helped Erwin pick up Armin and Mikasa. Once Mikasa was in her father's arm, she began to suck her thumb and laid her head on her father's shoulder. Armin also calmed down as he placed his tiny hands on his father's face, babbling about his day. Eren kept crying, and Elyse started to worry.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Elyse murmured, wishing for the hundredth time that her babies could talk to her. Eren simply wailed, and she began to pace the floor, trying to calm her son down.

"Do you want me to take him?" Erwin asked, starting his trek up the stairs to put Mikasa and Armin down, but Elyse shook her head and waved him off, "It's fine, I got him."

Erwin nodded, and disappeared up the stairs.

Eren started to calm down, but his tiny hands were tugging at her hair as if trying to get her attention. And Elyse began to tickle him and he laughed at that, still sniffling.

"There's that smile, there's that smile." Elyse giggled, still tickling him, "You're going to turn one tomorrow, darling. Are you excited?"

Eren laughed, and he let out a squeal once he found himself lifted up high and Elyse was also surprised when she saw Erwin's hands pick Eren up from her.

"Pa!" Eren gurgled, loudly, and Erwin's eyes widened at that. An impossible gleaming smile found its way on Erwin's face and he turned to Elyse, happily.

Elyse nodded, unaffected, but she was smiling, "He's been saying that word since a couple months ago."

Erwin was taken aback by that and his smile slightly dimmed at the reminder of how absent he had been compared to now, but Elyse placed a hand on his shoulder, comfortingly.

"Hey, it's okay now. You're here, and you finally heard it." Elyse said, poking a finger at his dimple in his cheek as he somewhat smiled at her.

Eren seemed to want to comfort his father, too, as he tried to mimic his mother's actions by slapping his father's face with his chubby hands.

Erwin laughed at that, turning his attention to Eren, "Oh, you little Mäuschen." Elyse tilted her head at the term, her face playful.

"Eren's too big to be a mouse." Elyse stated, sniff-kissing her son's head. Erwin rolled his eyes, "Oh, yes, I shall call him bärchen."

The sound of Elyse's laughter reached Nifa's ears, as she tended to the children upstairs, and she shared a smile with Dieter, who nodded in return.

It seems that all was well in the Smith household.

* * *

Elyse rose early to prepare breakfast for her kids since she told Nifa that she wanted to start getting used to cooking. Nifa had taught her a couple things in the kitchen, and Elyse sent a prayer of thanks to her aunt for thinking her a couple of dishes to make back in America.

Tonight was going to be Eren's celebration, and Elyse's phone had been ringing constantly. She had felt bad, but she asked for Nifa's help to answer the calls, and Nifa happily accepted, waving Elyse's worry away.

"This is why I'm here, Miss Elyse. I'm here to help." Nifa argued, politely, taking away her phone. Elyse sighed, but she accepted.

The smell of omelets filled her nostrils, and Elyse was grateful that it didn't smell burnt or weird. Satisfied, Elyse busied herself with pouring her kids orange juice until she smelt something burning.

Scared, she closed the refrigerator and that's when she threw a rag at Erwin, who sat at the dining table, smoking a cigar.

"Put that out, right now." Elyse hissed, in warning, "You have kids in this house. If you have to smoke, do it outside."

Erwin sighed, taking the cigar out of his mouth to make a sweeping motion, "I don't see kids here, Elyse."

Elyse rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, "I'm about to wake them, so they can eat. I'm trying to slowly get them off the bottle, so they can start eating like little normal human beings, and it's not going to help if they smell tobacco."

Erwin raised an eyebrow at her, picking up his discarded newspaper on the table, "Little normal human beings? They're not creatures, Elyse. Also, don't you think it's a bit early to throw them off with real food?"

Elyse twitched, and she pointed to the balcony outside, "Outside. Now."

Erwin raised an eyebrow, amused, but he put out his cigar, snuffing it out on the ash tray next to him. Elyse sighed, and she walked up to him and grabbed the ashtray to empty the contents in the trash.

"Oh, before I forget, about the party tonight, I'm going to add more security. Someone tipped off the press again. I need to start making my employees sign a contract." Erwin announced, the sound of the newspaper flipping was comforting to Elyse. She had grown up with newspapers, and the technology right now was starting to get rid of them, much to her dismay.

"Sounds reasonable. Do you need us to get their earlier then?" Elyse asked, still setting up the breakfast on the dining table.

Erwin hummed in thought, "Possibly. I'll contact them when they get there to see the gravity of the situation. Also, the dress that Petra picked out for you tonight is in my room. Remind me to bring it out for you. The babies should have their outfits picked out by now, too. Unless you picked it out for them. Levi actually had a custom suit made for Eren if you would like to see it later."

Elyse's eyes brightened at that, amused, "Levi got Eren a custom-made suit? Are you serious?"

Erwin nodded, pondering about it, missing the amusement in Elyse's voice, "I would've got one made, too, but your brother was stubborn about it, saying that it would be his gift to Eren."

Elyse laughed, "Yes, a custom-made suit that he'll grow out of sounds like a great birthday gift."

Her brother and Erwin really didn't know the idea of practicality when it came to suits. It seems that they had that in common.

Erwin looked at her, quizzically, but Elyse waved his confusion away, "Get the kids. Breakfast is ready."

* * *

Breakfast was a messy affair. Eren had grabbed the omelet and started throwing it everywhere while Mikasa refused to eat it, wailing for her bottle instead. Armin was their only hope, he had eaten bits and pieces, but once Mikasa wanted her bottle, he suddenly wanted his bottle too.

Elyse shot Erwin an exasperated look and he stifled a chuckle as he cleaned Eren's mess. He opened his mouth to say something, but when Elyse shot him a glare, he thought better of it as he shut his mouth and smiled instead.

After the mess was cleaned up and the babies were taken back to the nursery by Nifa, Elyse sighed, sitting down on one of the dining chairs, slumping in it.

"Such a waste of good omelets." Elyse whined, placing an arm on the table so she could rest her head.

Erwin sat at the head of the table, looking clean and handsome, while Elyse was sure she had omelet gunk on her face and her hair was in a disarray. He had a plate of one of the omelets with orange juice on the side. His silverware was also set up, neatly.

The arrogant bastard even placed a napkin on his lap, sending a smile her way as he bit into the omelet.

"Eat it up, smug man. The party is tonight, so have fun dealing with old grown-up businessmen babies." Elyse stated, glumly.

Erwin raised an eyebrow at her, picked up a piece of an omelet with his fork and offered it to her, "Would you like some?"

Elyse pushed it away, glaring at him, and she got up, with a sigh.

"Also, work on your vocabulary before tonight, Elyse. I would hate for you to embarrass yourself in front of the old grown-up businessmen babies." Erwin called out to her retreating back.

Elyse could hear his gruff laughter when she shot up the middle finger at him.

* * *

Dressing the babies was easy and Elyse sighed in relief at that. Nifa shooed her away, stating that it was Elyse's turn to get ready. Elyse ran to Erwin's office and barged in, not even thinking to knock since the pressure of getting ready was starting to get on her nerves.

"Erwin, I need to get-Oh my god!" Elyse screamed, shielding her eyes.

 _Shit. Shit. Shit._

Erwin was standing there, half-naked, and black dress pants slung low on his hips, showing a bulge that had Elyse blushing.

"There's a thing called knocking, Elyse." Erwin's voice said, obviously enjoying her embarrassment.

"Well, I'm in a hurry, and I need the dress that Petra picked out for me, please." Elyse said, hurriedly, trying to get out of the awkward situation that she was in. She heard a zip and then slight movement. Hands pried her arms away that shielded her face, and she found her flushed face staring at Erwin's amused face.

He had shaved, and Elyse was so used to seeing him with scruff that she flushed even more at how handsome he looked. His hair was in that usual businessman style, and his blue eyes shone, unreadable yet enchanting.

She suddenly felt like she was in the train that they met once more.

"Help me with my tie." Erwin said, placing her hands on his neck where his dress shirt was still unbuttoned and his tie was hanging off his collar.

That snapped Elyse from her awe, and she was once reminded that this man was insufferable, sometimes.

"I would, but I need to get ready myself, and since I take more time to get ready, I would like to know where my dress is." Elyse stated, impatiently. It was when Erwin's laugh interrupted her, and she noticed that she was already hastily fixing his tie.

 _Insufferable man._

"You know that I'm too nice, you…" Elyse trailed off, cursing in her head rather than aloud. Erwin found that even more amusing.

"Asshole, Elyse. Say it with me." Erwin replied, his eyes twinkling. He choked a little as Elyse tightened his tie. She smiled, sickeningly sweet, at him.

"How about that dress, sweetie?"

Erwin finally gave her the dress and she placed a hand on her mouth, awed.

"Seriously, Erwin. You need to pay Petra more for this. I don't know where I would be without her fashion expertise." Elyse stated, gingerly touching the dress, feeling the soft fabric within her fingertips.

Erwin shrugged at that, "She told me that she's inspired by _you_. So, I guess you have yourself to thank, and I can pay my assistant how I think fit, thank you very much."

Elyse waved him away, and she excused herself to her room to get ready.

The dress was a little transparent, the embroidered silver design covering her most intimate parts, but she loved the halter cut of the dress. It had been her favorite, the most flattering cut she had worn back in Julliard. The dress cinched at her waist and the transparent part disappeared when it came to the bottom part of the dress as it flowed down in a high-low fashion like a wave of silver. It draped below her knees and complimented her long legs, which Elyse considered her best feature.

Once she put it on, Elyse figured out what she wanted to with her hair as she braided it into a messy braid, "A good thing came out of watching _Frozen_ a billion times." She muttered to herself, happy with her hair.

When it came to her makeup, she kept it simple yet she highlighted the most important parts of her face, giving her a glow.

Satisfied, Elyse paired the dress with the silver heels that Petra had got for her to celebrate Elyse's pregnancy being over.

She walked out of the room, sighing as she realized that the dress might be ruined if she wasn't careful with Eren tonight and his eating habits, but she smiled excitedly for her son.

"You're right. I might need to pay Petra more." Erwin's voice caught her attention, and Elyse realized that she was matching with the grey dress shirt that he was wearing. He looked dashing, and she smiled at his compliment.

Erwin approached her, placing a small kiss on the back of her hand, "The babies are in the car. Shall we?"

Elyse nodded, and she linked her arm with his and walked down the stairs. Nifa really looked like she wanted to squeal as she jumped up and down at the sight of them, but it was the person standing next to Nifa that took Elyse by surprise.

"Freida?!" Elyse asked, surprised, letting go of Erwin's arm to run to her grinning friend. "You made it!"

Freida laughed, "I promised, didn't I?" She looked at Elyse, up and down, whistling low, "Damn, don't you look fuckable?"

Elyse laughed, hugging her friend, tightly. "I'm so happy you're here."

"I'm so happy I made it. By the way, I can say without a doubt that Erwin and you will certainly make the papers. You guys look _really_ good. Like let me join that orgy, will you?" Freida teased.

The sound of Elyse smacking Freida's bare arm sounded as Freida laughed in response, winking at Erwin, who simply looked lost from it all.

* * *

Eren bounced on Freida's lap as he happily tried to stand on her lap when Freida cooed at him.

"You're so heavy now, Eren. What are they feeding you?" Freida asked.

Erwin laughed at that and Elyse punched his arm in warning. Freida looked at both of them, raising an eyebrow, but she moved on, playing with the other two.

"This one is literally a carbon copy of you, Erwin. You sure you don't have a clone machine and shoved it up in-"

"Freida, I will hit you once more if you finish that sentence." Elyse warned with a sigh as she leaned over Mikasa's carriage to wipe her face. She softened at the sight of her pretty daughter. Mikasa always had thick black hair, so Elyse tied her daughter's short hair into a small bun and she was glad that she could finally see her daughter's face through all that hair.

Grey eyes and pale skin, Mikasa was truly an Ackerman beauty.

The car pulled into a stop and Elyse's eyes widened at the sight of the press. Erwin sighed, motioning for Dieter to help him. Dieter nodded, and he got out the car as Elyse handed him Mikasa. Freida was in charge of picking up Armin, and Erwin already had Eren tucked safely in his arms. The babies' faces were covered as their guardians shielded their faces with their arms, slightly burying the babies' faces in the crook.

Dieter went first and Freida followed, closely. Erwin offered his arm to Elyse as she got out the car. The press clamored at that.

"Erwin, Elyse, look over here!"

"Both of you look great! Smile over here!"

"Is that Eren you're carrying?"

Elyse simply took Erwin's arm and waved at the press, smiling and nodding, but she looked down before she was blinded by the cameras and she looked at Eren, who was protected by his father's large hand atop his head.

They entered the venue, and the security guarded the doors. Freida turned to Elyse once they were all safe inside the banquet hall, and she laughed, "How long has this been happening?! When did the press care so much about your live? Didn't they know you were an heiress before?"

Elyse sighed, tiredly, and she plucked the terrified Mikasa up from Freida's arms and she faced Elyse as she squished her cheek next to Mikasa's cheek, "Yeah, but then I married a man, ten years my senior, and had three kids. Press likes to eat that up."

Freida poked both their faces, amused, "I'd like to eat your husband's tight body and then your children's cheeks if that's all right with you."

Elyse laughed at that, and once she was satisfied with Mikasa's giggling, she gave her back to Freida to turn around and get ready for the party.

* * *

The banquet hall was starting to fill in and true to his word, Erwin had informed his business partners to bring their children. The children enjoyed Eren, Armin, and Mikasa, much to Elyse's enjoyment.

Erwin had called for her, and she shot Freida an apologetic look, but Freida wiggled her eyebrows as she pointed at Levi, who was sitting by himself, and mouthed, "I'll be right over there."

Elyse rolled her eyes at that.

"Mike, this is my wife, Elyse. Elyse, Mike was my VP back in Germany. This is Mike and this is his wife, Nanaba." Erwin introduced them, and Elyse smiled, pleasantly.

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you both." Elyse greeted, kissing their cheeks. They both seemed to be taken aback by that and she grew flustered, reminding herself that Erwin had worked in Germany and America, not in France.

Nanaba, the woman who was pretty with her green eyes and short blonde hair that complimented her face, smiled after a moment, kissing Elyse's cheeks in greeting, also.

"It's such a pleasure to meet you! We were surprised to hear that Erwin had married secretly and was expecting a child soon after, but it _is_ Erwin. He was never one to celebrate anything." Nanaba teased Erwin, who scoffed in return.

"I've told you several times, Nana. It was a quiet event with family." Erwin sighed, shooting Mike an exasperated look. Mike shrugged, still quiet.

"I mean, you could have at least introduced her to us back in America. We were in America at the time, you know?" Nanaba insinuated, whispering it to Elyse.

Elyse giggled. She really liked Nanaba. She caught Mike's stare at her, and she smiled shyly. He returned it with a nod and a small smile.

"You must come to dinner then. Our estate is always open. It gets tiring dealing with children, and I'd love to have company to entertain." Elyse offered, politely and excitedly. She would finally have company over.

Nanaba nodded, excitedly. "Erwin offered Mike a position here and we're thinking of moving here. It's beautiful here and we would love to have a change of pace."

Elyse grabbed her hands, "Oh, you must! The children will love it and so would I."

They chattered on for a couple of moments excitedly and Elyse excused herself to go to the bathroom. She passed her brother, who seemed amused and deep in his conversation with Freida. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he squeezed it in greeting. Elyse shot Freida a look, and Freida simply smiled back. Her head tilted and placed in her hand as her elbow was carefully placed on the table so she could lean in more to talk to Levi.

Elyse snorted, quietly, at that, but she moved on to the bathroom, finally taking a moment to herself.

Once she got out, she started to walk back into the venue until a hand on her arm pulled her aside to a secluded area.

Surprised, she looked up and stared.

She didn't expect to see the person who was standing in front of her at all.

* * *

A:N/ Cliffhanger because I'm mean. Voice your frustrations down below.


	13. Chapter 13

A:N/ Cliffhanger no more. Continue onward, reader.

Elyse is mine. Everyone else is either dead or alive in the AOT/SNK verse and belong to Isayama, but in here they're alive yet they still belong to Isayama, so there's that.

I've awarded you guys with a short chapter which was originally going to be longer, but I didn't want to leave it at such a cliffhanger especially since I'm going on vacation soon, so here you go! Thank you SO MUCH for the favs and the comments and the follows. It means so much, you don't even know!

* * *

"Hey, Ely." The man who pulled her aside said, smiling at her. Elyse's heart began to pound and she almost could hear the blood rushing to her head.

He still had that that messy blonde hair that would fall over his green eyes, and she wasn't used to seeing him in such a formal setting. He had always been lean and tall, and it was no surprise that his good looks were still there and his easy-going smile still made her melt. Just a little.

"Braun? Is that you?" Elyse asked, surprised, and she placed a hand on her mouth to hide the fact that she had been gaping.

The playfulness in his green eyes showed that it had been too late for her to try and cover it up.

"The one and only." He teased, opening his arms, and before she knew it, Elyse was enveloped in a hug. She couldn't help but feel the familiar rush of nostalgia hit her, and she hesitantly hugged him back, feeling warm.

Once they pulled apart, Elyse finally smiled back at him, easing herself with him once more.

"How long has it been? All I know was that you were in Julliard and then all of a sudden, you got married and have three kids of your own. My mother was the one who told me once I got home from an Army tour." Braun's voice sounded playful, but Elyse could sense a hint of bitterness and seriousness in his voice.

A sting of guilt hit Elyse once she saw the hurt in his eyes, but when she opened her mouth to say something, a sharp voice interrupted them.

"Braun Lexington, I didn't know you would be attending my grandson's birthday party."

Elyse turned around and she noticed her father coming up to them, and she felt panic seize her being.

"Papa, I thought you had left for New York already." Elyse said, a little surprised, but her eyes darted back and forth from Braun to her father.

Her father nodded, his arms behind his back with his stare penetrating the man before him, "I was, but your brother and _husband_ ," Elyse didn't miss it when her father emphasized a certain word, "convinced me to stay. Besides, I've grown rather fond of being a grandfather."

Elyse, truly, was at a loss for words, so she found herself smiling instead, nodding too, and she didn't even know what she was nodding at.

"Is your mother here? Is that why you're here, Mr. Lexington?" Her father asked, pounding the questions in one setting and Elyse wanted to shrink in the background with all the awkwardness right now.

Braun smiled, cryptically, at her father and Elyse knew it was going to get ugly soon, "No, sir. I came home a week ago, and my mother informed me about the party but she couldn't go, so I decided to take her invitation and go myself. I thought it would be nice to catch up with Levi and Elyse since I haven't seen them in a while. But, then again, it seems I haven't been missed much here." Braun's last statement had hit a sore spot with Elyse, and she started to grow a little irritated.

But, her father, ever the steamroller, spoke for her, "Well, I wish well to your mother. She's rather missed here." The last statement came as a warning as her father's tense stare turn into a glare.

Braun didn't miss a beat as he chuckled, "Ever the same with you, Mr. Ackerman."

Her father narrowed his eyes, and he turned to Elyse, and she faced him, still biting her lip.

"Papa-"

"Elyse, your husband was looking for you. It's almost time for Eren's cake." Her father informed her, motioning for her to follow him back into the banquet hall.

Elyse took the offered arm, and before she could turn to tell Braun goodbye, her father was already walking for them, leaving Braun behind.

Her father led her back to the main table where Erwin and the babies were. Levi had joined them, and Freida was helping Erwin with Armin as he began to fuss. Petra and Hange were there, talking to Levi, although it mainly seemed that Hange was the one holding up the conversation as Levi snorted and Petra politely listened, avoiding looking at each other.

Elyse couldn't help but think of how messed up their little family was, sarcastically yet fondly.

They came to a stop in front of the table, and her father let her arm go, but before he could leave, Elyse stopped him, gently. Her eyes searching his stoic ones.

"Papa…I didn't know he would be here." Elyse finally said, finding the safest explanation. Her father took a moment before nodding and sighing. He patted her hand, softly, and offered her a small smile although there was a hint of a warning behind it.

"Stay away from him, Elyse. I meant it back then, and, now, I mean it more than ever." Her father stated, searching her eyes. Before she could respond, her father turned to pick up Mikasa, and she started calling him, "pé," while patting his face, happily.

Elyse's heart clenched at the sight of her father, laughing, kissing his granddaughter's cheek in return.

Her children have softened her father and she was happy for it. If she wasn't able to, then at least they could.

His words were like a hit of déjà vu, and she still couldn't believe that Braun was here. Braun…he hasn't changed. Still handsome, still charming, and still mysterious, it was what got her into trouble all those years ago. For some odd reason, it was a pattern for her.

As if reading her thoughts, Erwin smiled at her, and she forced a smile back.

"You were gone for a while. Bathroom troubles?" Erwin whispered in her ear, as she sat down at the main table, deciding to rest.

Elyse swatted his arm, and when she relaxed back in her chair and looked up, she froze. Only for a moment.

Eren's cake was coming out and Erwin, holding Eren, helped Elyse stand up and he wrapped an arm around her as everyone began to sing, "Happy Birthday" to Eren. Elyse forced herself to ignore what made her pause, and she played the part of the pretty wife and mother as she smiled at the camera and helped Eren blow out his candles.

Yet, when she looked back up, Braun was still there, staring back at her, _that_ smile on his lips.

And she shivered. She knew that smile.

It was a smile of a challenger.

* * *

Elyse smiled in Eren's soft hair as she watched everyone sleep in front of her. Erwin had called for a limo, inviting their closest friends to sleep in their estate. So, they all piled in, and now, Freida, Petra, and Hange were sleeping atop of each other's laps and shoulders. Levi was dozed off with Mikasa in his arms. Her father had Armin in his arms and Erwin's father, who joined them later on due to Erwin's private jet being delayed, were talking to each other in quiet tones, and it was honestly a sound that was starting to make Elyse feel sleepy.

"What are you smiling at?" Erwin asked, sitting next to her as he checked his e-mails on his phone. Elyse turned to him and she noticed that he looked relaxed too compared to his usual stoic attitude.

Elyse motioned to their friends and family with her chin, smiling, "I'm just…happy. It's nice to have them here with us."

Erwin chuckled, putting his phone away, and he placed an arm around her shoulders and Elyse let her head rest on his shoulder, her nose still in Eren's hair as she inhaled the scent of "baby."

Elyse was starting to feel comfortable with Erwin and they had gotten closer since he started his therapy sessions and helped her out more with everything. Their friendship was blossoming and Elyse loved their conversations and their banter. Erwin was starting to be a little more human to her, and she had teased him the first time she rested her head on his shoulder one time after they put the babies to sleep.

"Oh, look, it's not metal." She had teased. Erwin scoffed, and he messed up her hair in response.

They even started talking about Isabelle, his secretary, and Erwin had flushed at that, ignoring her teasing and her curiosity.

Elyse smiled at the memory, and Erwin turned to look at her, curiously, but she shook her head, as if waving him off.

"As nice as their visits are, we still have two more birthdays to plan." Erwin said, after a moment, placing a hand on Eren's head, affectionately, noticing that his son's head was slightly falling off his mother's chest. Elyse whispered her thanks, and she sat up adjusting Eren before relaxing once more on Erwin's shoulder.

"There's a venue that has a _Frozen_ theme for Mikasa." Elyse teased, looking up to see Erwin's face.

Erwin groaned, softly, placing a hand on his face, "I swear, I'm going to burn that movie if I have to hear that song again."

The moment Elyse began to sing, "Let It Go", softly, was when Erwin removed his arm around her and pushed her away, carefully picking up the sleeping Eren from her arms so he could protect him from the "evil" song.

Elyse's laugh almost woke the whole limo up.

* * *

The next morning, Elyse and Nifa prepared breakfast for the guests, and the first ones to wake up were Erwin and Levi. Levi greeted his sister with a kiss on the cheek and Erwin followed suit by patting Elyse on the head. She had rolled her eyes at that as Ewin winked at her, cheekily.

She mouthed, "Let it go," and that's all it took for Erwin to throw a dish towel at her. Levi watched the exchange, amused, until he looked at his phone is surprise when it started vibrating.

"Hello?" He answered, and his eyes widened at the sound of the other voice on the other line. He smiled a little, warmly, "Braun, it's been a long time."

The sound of that name almost made Elyse drop a dish she was washing.

Erwin seemed to notice, but, much to her relief, he didn't question her as he continued to help Nifa prepare the dining table.

Levi continued on with his phone conversation, and Elyse did her best to tune it out as she busied herself.

Once her brother got off the phone, he turned to Elyse, shaking his head with a smile, "You won't believe who was on the phone with me."

Playing dumb, Elyse asked, "Who?"

"Braun Lexington. Remember him? Back in the city, he went to Julliard with you. Before that, you and him used to play together back in France. His mother was a good friend of our mother's back in the day." Levi said, not realizing that Elyse was becoming increasingly agitated and anxious.

"Braun? He was my dancing partner for one of my seminars. He's a cool guy, and he's not bad to look at either. He has this ass that is so squeezable." Freida said, walking in and turning to Petra once she said that last statement. Petra and her had hit it off last night, and Petra was laughing at Freida's ass statement when Elyse shot Freida an exasperated look.

"You remember him, right, Elyse? The one who would purposely leave a white rose in your locker after a show." Freida stated, greeting Erwin and Levi. Petra did the same, but Levi and her simply stared at each other, awkwardly, before paying back attention to Freida.

Elyse nodded, thankful that her back was turned to them as she prepared a dish, "Yeah, I remember."

"Braun was really into her, but Elyse, my perfect prima donna, didn't give him the time of day." Freida continued. Elyse closed her eyes at that and bit her lip. A hand shot out to help her as she almost dropped the dish she was preparing.

"Oh shit, are you okay, Elyse?" Freida asked. Elyse looked up and she saw Hange looking at her worried.

"Thanks, Hange." Elyse thanked, grabbing the dish from her and she placed it on the dining table, ignoring the worried glances.

Deciding to play it off, Elyse laughed, "So, about last night, I might have drunk a little...much."

Everyone seemed to buy it as Freida laughed and talked about how her influence was finally rubbing off on her. Levi rolled his eyes, but he continued to check his phone. Hange seemed to join Freida in her laughter while Petra shook her head, smiling.

Elyse didn't have to look up to know that Erwin was still staring at her. His expression: Not buying it.

* * *

After breakfast, Petra went to work and so did Hange. Levi offered to take Freida to the airport and Elyse shot another warning look at Freida, who flipped her hair in return. Her father and Erwin's father also wished their goodbyes, thanking Erwin for the use of the private jet so they could go back to the City.

They all promised to be back for Mikasa's birthday in the next two weeks.

Elyse cleaned up the kitchen and the dining table as Erwin got ready for his job upstairs, while kissing the children goodbye.

Elyse didn't realize that Erwin was already downstairs until a hand grabbed her arm as she was about to go upstairs to tend to the kids.

"Oh, hey." Elyse said, smiling at him, but Erwin wasn't smiling. He was studying her, carefully.

"Are you okay?" He asked, worried, and Elyse was reminded of how grateful she was for their friendship.

"Just tired." Elyse said, half-lying. Erwin stared at her for a moment, but he nodded, letting her arm go, but he picked her hand up to place a kiss on it.

"I…might be back a little late." Erwin said, after putting her hand down. Elyse laughed at that, ready to tease him, her eyes twinkling and she could almost forget about her predicament.

"Miss Isabelle is calling?" Elyse asked, her tone light and playful. Erwin flushed, and Elyse laughed even louder. Erwin refusing to look at her was even more adorable, and she felt slightly bad so she placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look up at her.

"Do you want me to save dinner for you?" She asked, tilting her head and batting her eyelashes, as if overdramatizing her act as the good housewife.

Erwin rolled his eyes, and a mysterious look crossed his face before it reached a nonchalant gaze, "No, it's fine. I will already have my fill."

Elyse widened her eyes at that and her face turned red at the insinuation that he made. It was Erwin's turn to laugh and she shoved him, laughing with him.

And, Elyse forgot about what made her uncomfortable in that moment.

* * *

Erwin did come home late as promised, but Elyse was still up in the living room, planning Mikasa's birthday party. She sipped her red wine, and she was leaning on the table until she felt hands start massaging her shoulders.

She sighed in relief, and she turned to look up and she smiled when she saw Erwin's face.

"Hey, welcome home." Elyse greeted, warmly, and she took another sip of her red wine. Erwin raised an eyebrow at that, and he grabbed the glass away from her. Elyse groaned in annoyance.

"You're not of age, Elyse. And I don't want to remind you what happened the last time you drank red wine." Erwin stated, amused.

Elyse rolled her eyes at that, "Well, it takes two to tango, Mister." She mumbled, but she knew he heard it because he chuckled as he finished her red wine.

He plopped down on the chair in front of the couch she was sitting on and she took in his appearance, amused.

"Well, don't you look thoroughly…satisfied. Did you have your _fill_ of darling Isabelle?" Elyse asked, pointing out his messy appearance.

She felt annoyed at how he was still looking handsome when his tie was literally hanging off his neck and his hair was all over the place.

Erwin simply smiled, leaning forward to look at Elyse's work on the table, as he placed the empty wine glass there too.

"How's the party planning?" He asked, changing the subject. Elyse groaned at the reminder, placing a hand on her forehead in disarray.

"I'm having trouble seating certain people. It's the same people, but I got complaints from Mrs. Ward over Mrs. Georges because they had, get this, _matching_ dresses." Elyse stated, glumly.

"The horror." Erwin replied, faking a sad look.

Elyse threw a pen at him. He caught it with ease.

A comfortable quiet moment passed between them as Elyse started to mark down the tables on the seating chart she made. Erwin pulled out his phone, scrolling through e-mails and texts.

Elyse was almost done finishing up the seating chart until she stopped at one name. Erwin noticed this, and he looked down at the name she paused on.

"Braun Lexington, huh?" Erwin asked, softly. Elyse nodded, but she didn't say anything more. Erwin didn't press, but he did point to a table in recommendation.

"How about here? Next to the Eagles. They know how to keep up a conversation." Erwin suggested, nonchalantly.

Elyse bit her lip, but she nodded in agreement and marked it. With a satisfied sigh, Elyse relaxed back on the couch and she pointed at Erwin. He looked at her, amused, "Yes, Elyse?"

"Give me red wine." She demanded, easily. Erwin scoffed, "Once you turn twenty-one."

"Technically, since marriage makes us a whole person, our age difference is enough to make me older than twenty-one and you can have sex with secretaries that are slightly older than me. It's a win-win."

Elyse laughed as she had to run up the stairs when Erwin got up to attack her.

* * *

Mikasa's party was _Frozen_ -themed and Elyse didn't know what amused her more, her daughter all dolled up in a poufy dress that Levi custom-made for her or her husband shooting death glares at her when she would sing "Let It Go" every ten seconds in his ear.

The best part was that Erwin was holding Mikasa, so he couldn't do anything about it.

Elyse smiled, politely, when a business partner made _another_ inappropriate compliment towards her. Petra saved her as she linked arms with her and pulled Elyse away.

"I don't blame him though. You do look amazing." Petra stated, giggling as Elyse pinched her.

"It's all thanks to you, so don't be so humble." Elyse thanked her, wrapping her arm around Petra in a slight hug as they walked around the party.

Elyse was wearing a white drape dress that hugged her curves loosely, but not to loosely that Elyse lost her shape. Her hair was in a high ponytail and her cheekbones came out to play with the makeup she used on her face. Her heels were nude gladiator heels and it was her favorite part of her outfit.

Ewin joked that she could be Olaf the snowman in this _Frozen_ -themed party since she was wearing white and was pale to no end and Elyse flipped him off when he laughed in return.

Erwin was also wearing a white tuxedo and so were her two little guys, which made her want to squish their faces all the time.

Eren made it a habit to walk everywhere, so Levi volunteered himself to be on the watch for him. Freida jokingly stated that she'd be on Levi-duty and had done so since then.

Mikasa was looking every bit of a glowing princess as she charmed in her light blue tulle dress.

Elyse was satisfied with the turnout of the party, but her satisfaction soon died out when she felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned to face the man that has been haunting her ever since he appeared in her life.

"Ely." Braun greeted, smiling at her.

She took a deep breath, inwardly, and she smiled back in greeting, "Hey, Braun."

"You look beautiful." Braun complimented, taking her hand to pull her in a hug. She flinched at that, but he didn't seem to notice as he embraced her. Her heart was starting to pound again, and she was grateful when their hug was over.

As if someone read her mind and decided to make her life even more uncomfortable at that moment, a slow song decided to play for the dance floor.

Braun offered her his hand as he slightly bowed and asked, "May I have this dance?"

Elyse bit her lip, and her mind was screaming, "no," and yet, her heart…

"Yes." Elyse finally agreed, and she took his offered hand, feeling the familiar warmth emitting from it.

They approached the dance floor and they began to dance. Elyse kept her distance, but the hand on her back was certainly distracting.

"So, I was going to ask you questions, but your father, being your father, interrupted." Braun began, amused, his head bent so he could whisper in her ear, "When were you going to tell me you were married?"

Elyse grew agitated at that, pulling away a bit sharply, "You act like we talked regularly." Her gaze narrowing.

Braun sighed, his green eyes boring into her hazel ones. "I had no choice about that, you know that, Ely."

"Like you had no choice about leaving for Australia." Elyse shot back, her bitterness showing.

 _He thinks he can win. I won't let him. I already deal with a challenging man, and I'm not about to have this one try to one up me._

"Ely," Braun pleaded, "I have no choice about my life. You and I both know that. I follow what my mother wants and you follow your father's wants."

Elyse felt her heart yearn, but she stopped it, by shaking her head, "Things have changed, Braun."

"Yeah, I know." The bitterness in his voice was there underneath the serious layer he tried to hide it with, "Can you imagine my surprise when I come home to contact you, yet my mother stops me to say that you're married and pregnant with _his_ child."

The possessiveness made Elyse shiver, and she didn't know whether it pleased her or bothered her.

"Do you love him?" He asked, whispering in her ear. Elyse froze, and she tried to hide it, but it was too late because Braun smiled at her.

"Or did daddy dearest force you to marry him?" He asked again, placing a thumb on her cheek.

Elyse didn't get the chance to reply because a firm arm wrapped around her waist and she looked up, breaking away from her trance. Her relief was palpable when she realized it was Erwin, who was smiling down at her.

"There you are, sweetheart. Mikasa was looking for you. Oh! I'm so sorry, where are my manners? I'm Erwin Smith, Elyse's husband, and you are?" Erwin greeted, smoothly, offering a hand while still holding Elyse's waist.

Braun, not surprised, smiled, politely, "Braun Lexington. I grew up with Elyse back in France. Levi was the one who tutored me. Our mothers were friends."

Erwin nodded, that nonchalant smile looked threatening from Elyse's point of view, and she suddenly felt very safe with him.

"Well, that's a surprise. I've never heard of you. Elyse, dear, when were you going to introduce me to your dear friend?" Erwin asked, giving her an opening. Elyse bit back a giggle at what Erwin just set up for her, but she managed to remain normal.

"We haven't talked for a very long time. Silly me, I meet new people every day and my memory of old friends seem to be a bit fuzzy from time to time, mon cheri." Elyse apologized, and she felt proud when Erwin pinched her waist, their secret language when it came to communicating.

She looked at Erwin and he smiled at her, encouragingly.

"Well, if you'll excuse us, Mr. Lexington. My daughter is clamoring for her mother and we can't deny our birthday girl on her special day." Erwin excused them, and Elyse found herself whisked away.

Once they were at a safe distance, Elyse sighed, relieved. She turned to Erwin and he looked at her, concerned, "You didn't look…comfortable."

"I wasn't. Thank you, Erwin. Really." Elyse said, gratefully. Erwin gave her a side hug before letting her go to tend to Mikasa and Elyse followed, happily.

"Mama!" Mikasa said, happily, throwing her arms up for her mother. Elyse smiled, widely, and picked her daughter up. Erwin motioned for the cake, and the usual "Happy Birthday" song was sung.

And, this time. Elyse didn't bother to look up at Braun's challenging smile.

* * *

Her father and Erwin's father were busy with the children before they retired for the evening. Everyone of their friends insisted on going out after the _Frozen_ -themed birthday to get drunk, saying that they tallied the shots with every time they heard the damn theme song.

Erwin and Elyse declined their invitation.

Once the kids and their fathers were settled, Elyse knocked on Erwin's office door. He gave the permission to come in, and he smiled when he saw her.

"What can I do for you, Elyse?" He asked, pushing his papers away to get up and walk towards her, motioning for her to take a seat on the couch in front of the fireplace.

She took one corner while he took the other, facing each other. He sat with his arms on each corner armrest of the couch, facing her, while Elyse sat, her whole body in a small ball as she held her legs close to her chest, her face lying on the couch, facing him.

"He was my first boyfriend." Elyse said. That seemed to throw Erwin off, but realization dawned on him and he began to speak, "Elyse, you don't have to-"

Elyse shook her head, "No, I do have to. I have to talk about it because I never talked about it with anyone. My father and brother don't know neither does Freida."

Erwin still seemed reluctant, "Are you sure, Elyse? There are people closer to you than I am."

Elyse smiled at the irony, "That's exactly why telling you is perfect. You're not that close enough to me to give me "advice" and you don't even know Braun."

Erwin stared at her for a moment, thoughtful, but he nodded, finally willing to listen.

Elyse took a deep breath and she began once more, "He was my first boyfriend. We had been close since we were kids, but when I moved to New York with my father and brother, I had to say goodbye to my best friend. We promised to go to Julliard together, and it wasn't long before he kept that promise with me, flying to New York City to attend Julliard. I was always a shy person, and I haven't talked to him in forever, so I didn't really give him the time of day and he stared from a distance. It was until I found the first white rose of many in my locker after a successful showcase or project. I approached him then, shy and happy, and he confirmed it, while also confessing that he liked me. Well, we decided to date, and it wasn't long before someone told my father and he was upset."

"My brother was still in Germany at the time, and he couldn't defend me, so my father forbade me to date Braun, stated that he wasn't good enough for me and that dating a "dancer" would lead to nowhere. Of course, I was taken by Braun. He was handsome, sweet, and charming. We kept dating in secret, and I had fallen in love with him. I was ready to run away with him and forget being the good daughter of Ansel Ackerman to follow him anywhere."

"But, Braun was offered a spot in Australia with a dance company. It was a huge deal and a huge opportunity, and…I made him take it. I was starting to feel guilty about disobeying my father and hiding things from my brother, so I told him to go, thinking it was the easiest way to let him go. He listened, and I still haven't decided whether I'm angry or sad that he listened to me. Maybe, I'm still a bit bitter, but it was the best choice then. So, now, we're here. We haven't talked since he left, and I guess…my heart hurts, Erwin. It hurts and it sucks. He has this way with me every single time, and sometimes, I want it and sometimes, I don't. I don't know what to do."

Erwin listened, his intense stare turned into a comforting one as he motioned for her to come to his side and she obeyed, letting him wrap his arm around her shoulders and she leaned against his shoulder, embracing his warmth.

"Love is a complicated thing, Elyse. Why do you think I've been single for so long? In my twenty-eight years of living, I've learned that love is something that courageous and strong people strive for, and I'm even more impressed when they come out of love's destructiveness, surviving. You're a strong and courageous person, Elyse. You let yourself fall, and you survived. Look at me."

Elyse did, and Erwin smiled at her, "I meant it when I said that I would let you follow your heart because it would be a waste for someone like you to waste your heart. And if your heart decides to love this man, then so be it. Life is too short to waste on regrets and hurt."

Elyse's eyes began to tear, and Erwin chuckled, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

"You're a big sap, you know that?" Elyse teased, sniffling.

The smile she felt on her head confirmed that Erwin heard, and she, for the first time in her life, she was truly happy that she had someone like him in her life.

* * *

A:N/ They frustrate me and make me happy at the same time.


	14. Chapter 14

A:N/ Elyse belongs to me. Everyone else doesn't and that sucks, but life goes on.

* * *

Months have passed since Elyse opened up to Erwin, and their lives were starting to get a bit busier to Elyse's horror. It was event season galore.

That meant that Elyse had no time for herself and that she had to go out almost every day for some event that she was invited to: charities, galas, and dinners that involved rich people using "summer" as a verb.

She was especially looking forward to relaxing with her one year-old children after celebrating Armin's birthday just two days ago. It wasn't long before Erwin informed her that there was no time to rest anymore and that Nifa and maybe another hire would be tending to the children.

Elyse had been upset at that and didn't let Erwin hire another person since the children were already used to Nifa and she trusted Nifa already. Erwin had sighed at that, but he didn't argue with her.

Getting ready for event after event, Elyse was always wistful when she had to say goodbye to her children each night. The bright side of it all was that Elyse had an excuse to pamper herself with clothes and makeup, giving her something to do at the estate besides taking care of the kids and household chores. It reminded her of getting ready for a show, the steps to prepare for the scenes. And, technically, she was preparing herself to be the perfect wife for the press and Erwin when it came to business. She liked to call it the "Perfect Stepford Wife" role.

There was another charity tonight and Elyse was preparing herself once again. Once she was done applying her favorite red lipstick of late, she noticed her phone was vibrating on her vanity. She answered, immediately, and said, "I literally have an hour left to be there."

Erwin laughed on the other line, "I didn't call to scold you, Elyse. Stop being dramatic," Elyse smiled at that, her vocabulary was staring to rub off on him, "I just called to tell you to let the driver know to take you to my office building because I'm running late."

Elyse gasped at that, "Oh my, Erwin Smith is actually late for something. The world must be ending."

She smiled wider when she realizes that Erwin just hung up on her.

Taking one last critical look of herself in the mirror, she goes downstairs, kissing Nifa's cheek goodbye and reminding to let her know if anything is wrong, no matter what.

Dieter, her faithful bodyguard, helps her to the car and she thanks him. It was a routine at this point.

"My husband's office, please." Elyse informed the driver and after a moment, they were off.

Elyse clucked her tongue in annoyance after calling Erwin the second time without an answer. Hanging up, she turns to Dieter, who is looking at her, expectant.

"I'm going to inside. You can stay here, Dieter. No need to leave the car. Uh-uh, I said no need, Mister." Elyse stated, wagging her index finger at him when he moved to protest.

Dieter had no choice but to stay in the car as Elyse ran straight to the building and into the elevators, surprising the employees inside.

"I mean, there's a beautifully dressed woman who just randomly ran inside to the elevators…and is that Mr. Smith's wife, too?" Elyse heard one of the women in the building loudly whisper.

Amused, Elyse giggled in the elevator and she noticed that two other businessmen, who were on the elevator with her, were looking at her, amused and confused. Elyse noticed that the elevator attendant still remembered her as he already pressed the button to the top floor, and he smiled shyly back at her as she thanked him with a small nod.

The businessmen seemed to freeze as realization dawned on them that the crazy woman who just ran in the elevator was the CEO's wife, meaning that her father was the ultimate owner of the whole business.

Elyse sighed inwardly as she noticed that they were noticeably intimidated instead of amused anymore, and she watched as one of them hastily slightly bowed towards her in their confused mannerisms, and she watched, before the elevator doors close, as his friend hit him in the back of the head for bowing like an idiot.

The ride to the top floor was quiet, and she thanked the attendant, who shyly replied. When the elevator doors closed, Elyse noticed that Petra or Isabelle was present in the waiting room. She took the time to walk towards Erwin's office, thinking about what happened moments earlier.

 _Will my life ever be normal?_

She had been in the spotlight with her brother since she can remember. Not because of her father, but since her mother was a very well-known operatic singer back then before…what happened, the spotlight was on her family. Her brother also caught the press's attention during his "rebellious" stage as a teenager, and not because he was rebellious, he had been far from rebellious in public, but because of his _fashion_. Elyse teased him when she was old enough to find the magazines that had him photographed, and Levi ordered her to burn them.

Now, here she was, having her share of the spotlight with her brother and husband, she hoped the press will keep on staying away from the children as long as she's in it. But, they seemed impatient, and she gave it two more years until the children can publicly go outside if the press still considered her and her husband "one of the most golden couples of Europe."

She found it ironic _especially_ when she knocked on Erwin's office doors and heard giggling from the inside. Erwin opened the door, and Elyse was surprised that he was already impeccably dressed especially since she had thought…

And that's when Isabelle appeared, looking thoroughly ready to pounce on Erwin with her messy hair and backwards pencil skirt. Isabelle smiled at Elyse, warmly, as if she wasn't…disheveled.

"Hello, Miss Elyse." Isabelle greeted, still smiling and Elyse stifled a giggle when Erwin shot her a warning look.

"Good evening, Isabelle. Busy night?" Elyse asked, trying to fight off another giggle as Erwin came to her side and he quickly snuck a warning pinch at her waist.

It was even harder to try and remain professional when Isabelle, poor Isabelle, who didn't seem to notice the exchange between Erwin and Elyse, nodded, "Yes, the busiest."

Elyse found herself being escorted to the elevator as Erwin hastily wished Isabelle a goodnight and Elyse, still amused, waves goodbye at the smiling Isabelle, who still seems oblivious.

When the elevator doors close, Elyse began to laugh, "She has no idea that I know, huh?" Elyse asked the man next to her. The elevator attendant not there since it's Erwin's private elevator that they entered in order to avoid the press when they go down.

Erwin doesn't answer as he fixes his tie and hair in the mirrored elevator, making Elyse roll her eyes, but she followed suit, and she gasped when she saw that her hair was a slight mess from running and she hit Erwin in the ribs with her elbow as he chuckled.

"You should've told me, …meanie." Elyse muttered. Erwin laughed, placing an arm around her waist as the elevator doors opened, revealing Dieter and their car waiting for them.

"Asshole, Elyse." Erwin sighed, but Elyse simply smiled as she entered the car.

* * *

Arriving at the charity event, the press greeted them with an uproar of questions and cameras. Erwin helped her out the car as always and he strategically placed his arm around her waist to lead her amongst the blinding flashes and wires that were on the ground. Elyse pulled away for a second to smooth her dress, so Erwin went ahead of her by just a bit.

That's when she tripped, slightly, without anybody noticing, and she was already laughing once she reached Erwin, who was already in front of the cameras, smiling yet stiff. He reached out his arm for her, and she accepted it, and his arm was placed around her waist once more, but this time, she noticed that Erwin was a little stiff, and she knew that the press wouldn't like that.

Learning from experience and embracing her role like embracing a show role, Elyse leaned in to whisper in Erwin's ear, and he froze.

"I just tripped a moment ago without the press watching, and I'm pretty sure that there's a tear in my dress from it." Elyse whispered, and Erwin smiled, relaxing.

With that tactic, it looked like the couple were having an affectionate conversation and they began to eat that up, calling for them and telling them to smile at them. Erwin, finally relaxed and his smile more natural than before, bent down to whisper in Elyse's ear, "Smart move, partner."

Elyse responded by flipping her hair as they entered the venue of the charity event and he pinched her once more.

They greeted the usual people and Erwin excused himself from her so he could talk with the other businessmen, and she nodded, thankful to sit down and relax before she had to get up and make her rounds to smile and nod at whatever was said to her. She sat down at their designated table and took a sip of the ice water on the table.

She felt someone sit next to her, and she groaned, inwardly, ready to be the pleasant wife of Erwin Smith until she noticed that it was someone familiar who sat next to her.

"Hange! Hi, how are you?" Elyse greeted, happily, pressing kisses on her friend's cheeks.

That was another bright part of events like these. She get to see the people she has been steadily getting closer to since she moved to Paris for her new life like Hange, Eld, Gunther, Mike, and Nanaba. She would see them in every event, and she would enjoy their company, visibly relaxing around them rather than having to pretend to be some housewife to entertain businessmen. Her brother, the sneaky man, decided to return to New York City after Armin's first birthday because "he wanted to help their father out", but she knew that he was just avoiding the event season.

"Good, yet bored." Hange complained, sighing as they took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

"Bored? Aren't you helping with some scientific research? That's your favorite." Elyse stated, amused by her friend's groaning.

Hange snorted, almost snorting into their drink, "Yeah, but they're useless. Boring. Like this event, like my life right now."

It was then that Elyse realized that someone who would certainly interest _her_ life come to her table.

Hange noticed the man and she shoots an appreciated look at Elyse before turning to him.

"And who might you be?" Hange asked, offering a seat next to them for him.

"I'm Braun. Braun Lexington." Braun introduced himself to Hange, smiling politely while looking dashing in his suit. He faced Elyse then, smiling at her, and Elyse smiled back, shyly.

"Hello, Braun." Elyse greeted, and she noticed that her voice reached a higher pitch and she wanted to run away in embarrassment, but it seemed that nobody noticed.

Hange looked at Braun and Elyse, back and forth, interested, "How do you know little Ackerman here?"

Braun looked taken aback and slightly confused, looking around, "Levi? Well, he-"

Hange laughed, loudly, turning heads into their direction while Elyse chokes on her water, coughing and gasping for air. Braun just looked confused, trying to calm them down.

"I meant Ely here. How do you know her? Through Erwin? Are you one of his business partners?" Hange asked, curiously.

Braun shook his head, and Elyse noticed that he looked slightly annoyed at that, but it disappeared after a moment, "Childhood friends in France then attended Julliard with her."

Hange nodded, and they smiled, mischievously, "Did you have a crush on her? I would've. She's too damn sweet and pretty for her own good. Ultimate Girl Next Door right here." She nudged Elyse, teasingly, and Elyse smiled, weakly.

Braun decided to smile at Elyse then, _that_ smile that made her shiver and fluster, "Who wouldn't?"

Before Hange could turn around to face Braun once more, Elyse could hear Erwin's voice calling, but instead of her name, she heard Hange's instead.

Hange sighed at that, and got up, immediately, "Well, it seems that the Comma—Erwin is calling. Ugh, habit. If you'll excuse me."

Before Elyse could stop Hange, she watched, helplessly, as Hange walked to where Erwin was standing. She looked at him, lost and exasperated, and he winked at her, turning back to his conversation.

"So, I haven't spoken to you since your son's first birthday." Braun said, catching her attention and Elyse noticed that he moved closer, "And, by the way, I saw your little trip earlier, still the same clumsy Ely, I see."

Elyse laughed at that, trying to cover her awkwardness. Braun seemed to notice this, and he sighed, leaning a bit closer to her.

"Look, Elyse, I wanted to apologize the last time we talked, but your…husband interrupted before I could say anything." Braun said, finally addressing the elephant between them.

Elyse narrowed her eyes at him, feeling defensive about Erwin, "He interrupted for a good reason, unlike _some_ people I know, he wouldn't want to leave his wife when she is obviously stuck in a conversation she doesn't want to be having."

To her satisfaction, Braun did look a little miffed by that. "Elyse, you can't really still be mad at what happened years ago. You're the one who told me to take the spot and to follow my dreams."

Elyse sighed, feeling the pain coming back at the reminder, "I didn't expect for you to accept it and leave the next day like nothing ever happened between us."

Braun looked away, guiltily, and he thanked the waiter when he came around with glasses of champagne. This time, Elyse took one, too.

"Aren't you still 18?" Braun asked, a little amused at the irony.

"I've been 19 since a week ago. Besides, it doesn't even matter right now. I act more mature than most of the women here. I'm pretty sure that one of the businessmen's wives here are 16." Elyse argued, taking a sip from her glass to prove a point. She coughed a little, still not used to alcohol since she swore it off ever since Armin's conception.

"I guess he's following your husband's example." Braun stated, the bitterness in his smile coming out.

Elyse felt herself hurt by his low blow.

Elyse glared at him, "Love is love, Braun. At least my husband knew that, and he didn't run away to Australia."

Braun scoffed, swishing his cup around, staring at the contents instead of her, "Please, Elyse, you make it seem that marrying you after Julliard was possible."

Appalled and getting tired of their argument, Elyse sighed, "What do you mean, Braun?"

"You wanted a reason to break it off with me. You knew that we were perfect together, but your father's permission was more important to you than your own heart. So, I gave you the gun and you decided to pull the trigger. You knew that your brother wouldn't have minded, and you _still_ used it as an excuse. God, Elyse, you were always the good girl for your father. So, excuse me for thinking that your father had something to do with marrying his 16-year-old daughter to a 26-year-old man, who happens to take over your father's Parisian company right after." Braun whispered, closely, never breaking eye contact with her, making Elyse want to lean in even more, to touch his lips once more, but she resisted. Her anger and bitterness was stopping her, and more than that, her pride making her hold her head up high and not break.

He was right. Of course, he was. She was heartbroken when he left, but she had been relieved right after.

Braun sighed after a moment, standing up and leaning in to whisper in her ear, "I loved you, Elyse, but I wasn't about to risk my dream because the girl I loved was never going to give herself completely to me. Yet, so God help me, I still love you, and if I'm more than five minutes in your company…"

He stood up straight then, staring into her wide eyes, "I'm tempted to take you away once more." He finished, grabbing her hand and placing a small kiss on the inside of her wrist.

With a small nod, Braun took his leave, and that's when Elyse realized that the reason why Braun had left so quickly was because he saw Erwin coming to their direction since it was time to start the speeches for the event.

As Erwin took his seat next to her, he raised an eyebrow at her drink on the table. Elyse shook her head, still shocked at what just happened. Erwin took this as a sign for him to not say anything, and he just put an arm on the back of her chair, patting her shoulder, gently.

When the rest of the people at their table joined them, Elyse was more than grateful to be distracted into playing the role of "Perfect Stepford Wife."

* * *

Erwin helped her into the car as the press clamored around them, and Elyse adjusted herself on her seat, sighing. Once the doors shut, Erwin took out his phone to call Nifa, checking up on the kids.

Once that was done, Erwin turned to her, smiling reassuringly, "The kids are fine. Eren tried to run in the backyard again, but he ended up falling and skidding his knee. Don't worry, he's fine. Nifa bandaged him up and everything."

Elyse nodded, biting her lip at the news, reminding herself to check up on Eren before she retired for bed.

Erwin stared at her for a bit, and Elyse tilted her head, questioningly.

Erwin chuckled, before turning away, paying attention to pouring himself a whiskey from the small mini-bar in their car.

He didn't say anything more as he drank and read whatever was on his phone, respecting the quiet between him and Elyse.

Grateful for it, Elyse rested her head on his shoulder. Erwin seemed to relax at that, and he planted a small kiss on her head before paying attention to his phone.

The moment she started to fall asleep, Erwin whispered her name and she looked up, sleepily.

"I'm going to smoke a cigar, so if you want smoke in your hair…"

Elyse couldn't help but smile as she shoved him away and he chuckled.

 _You're right, Braun. My father did make me marry him, but at least, he didn't leave when he could._

 _At least._

* * *

But, Elyse still felt guilty. He had been right, so right. And, her heart had pounded, loudly and fast, when Braun said he still loved her.

The car came to a stop in front of the house and Erwin offered his hand to her when he got out first. They entered the house and Nifa greeted them with her usual report of the kids sleeping. Once again, Elyse was excited to go up and see her children, sleeping or not sleeping. Erwin, she noticed, seemed a bit anxious too.

They both went upstairs and entered the nursery. Elyse smiled as she walked up to their crib. Erwin and her had decided to get their children one big crib because they had been fussy and crying whenever they were separated to sleep in separate cribs. It was a good move, and the kids fell asleep even quicker now that they were together.

Erwin chuckled as he moved Eren's arm from Armin's face. Elyse smiled, wistfully, and Erwin noticed it.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Erwin asked. Elyse shrugged, "I just…I just miss being with them all day. I feel like I miss too much."

Erwin nodded, agreeing, "Hey, you and I both know that you also missed being with people your age."

Elyse stared at Erwin, almost wanting to break into a giggle or a scoff, "Erwin, I'm literally in between the kids age group and your age group."

At that reminder, Erwin scratched the back of his head, sheepishly, "You know what I meant."

Elyse couldn't help but tease him and roll her eyes, "Yes, sir, I know what you mean."

Elyse realized that Erwin's face darkened at the term, but it was only for a moment.

"Well, if you need anything else, I'll be in my office." Erwin stated, his voice a little harsh, but Elyse just thought it was because of the whiskey he had been drinking back in the car.

Elyse nodded, and she kissed him on the cheek, "Goodnight, Erwin."

Erwin nodded, smiling, and left, hastily. If Elyse didn't know any better, she thought that she saw him grit his teeth.

* * *

She couldn't sleep that night. All she could think about was Braun's words and how her heart was falling for them. He was just as bitter as she was about their relationship. Their break-up had been quick, and if she being totally honest, it seemed emotionless as if their relationship wasn't two years long. Braun was three years older, and he had been a great first boyfriend even holding back on having sex with her because she was already feeling guilty about hiding their relationship from her father.

And she had eventually given her virginity to a stranger to get back at her father.

Boy, did that backfire.

Giving up on sleep, Elyse got up and opened the door leading to the nursery, quietly. She noticed that Mikasa was starting to wake up and she rushed to pick her daughter up, who squealed at the sight of her mother.

"Hi, sweetie." Elyse greeted her daughter, softly. Mikasa giggled as her mother kissed her forehead.

This is what felt right. Compared to everything that has been happening in her life, the chaotic world seemed to stop when she held her children in her arms.

"I've missed you, ma petite." Elyse whispered, poking her daughter's nose as Mikasa placed her hands on her mother's face, cooing.

"Ma!" Mikasa exclaimed, and Elyse smiled, grabbing her daughter's hands so she can play with her. She helped Mikasa stand on her lap and had her dance around, pretending she was a little ballerina which entertained Mikasa to no end.

Maybe that's why Erwin came rushing inside the nursery, alarmed. Elyse stared at him, her eyes widening.

He was half-naked, dressed only in pajama bottoms, and his hair was undone and down, making him look more soft compared to his usual hardened face.

Erwin relaxed once he saw Elyse with Mikasa, sighing and rubbing his face. "Elyse? What time is it?" He asked, his voice rough from just waking up.

"Were you sleeping in your office?" Elyse asked, shocked and a little disappointed at having to think of Erwin's tall and broad frame trying to fit on to his couch in the office.

Erwin ignored her, waving his hand, "What time is it?" He asked again.

Elyse narrowed her eyes so she could see thought the dim lit room at the clock on the wall, "A bit past 5."

Erwin nodded, and he walked towards them, his hands ready to pick up Mikasa. When he did pick his daughter up and as he placed kisses on her cheeks, Elyse appreciated the sight of Erwin's hardened body. When did the man ever find time to work out?

Once Erwin was done showering his affection on their daughter, he gave her back to Elyse, and she raised an eyebrow when he moved to leave the room.

"I'm going to go work out for a bit. I should be back in time for breakfast." Erwin announced, quietly, sneaking a look at Eren and Armin, who were still sound asleep.

 _Ah, so that's when._ Still, it worried Elyse.

"Erwin, it's so early. You have work right after breakfast." Elyse whispered back, holding on to Mikasa as she tried to walk to her father.

Erwin smiled as if reading her thoughts, "Don't worry, Elyse. I don't sleep…well. You should know that."

Elyse sighed, but she nodded. He winked at her then at Mikasa as he closed the door, leaving mother and daughter alone once more.

Mikasa whined, but Elyse shushed her by holding her, "It's okay, baby. Papa will be back. At least, he keeps his promises."

Elyse thought back to what Braun said, and what she had thought about in the car.

 _At least, he didn't leave me, Braun._

* * *

The next event was a garden tea party, and Elyse was about to throw her heels at Erwin when he told her that it was a _literal_ garden tea party.

"Are we in London? Because I'm pretty sure we're not." Elyse groused, curling her hair in front of the mirror in Erwin's office.

Ever since event season began, if Erwin got home early or didn't have work, they would get ready together. Meaning their finishing touches were done together as in hair and makeup and ties and cuff links, the whole dressing part was apart and Elyse made sure of that. Erwin would tease her, and she would threaten to get one of the babies' dirty diapers and throw it at him.

Erwin chuckled from his corner where he was tying his tie, "Well, Mr. Durant's wife _is_ English besides she's a nice woman. She's the one who complimented you about your "family decisions".

"Oh yes, because leaving children home is my decision. Can we just bring them to the party? Can we do it to annoy her and then when she asks me about what happened to my "family decisions" and I'll smile and tell her that it's all the rage to bring children to parties. Maybe she'll buy it." Elyse ranted, running her fingers through her hair to style it.

Erwin shook his head, his eyes shining with laughter, as he approached Elyse to help out. Elyse pointed to the necklace on the table, and Erwin obeyed, putting the necklace around her neck.

"We can't do that. Instead of enjoying the party, you'll be having to chase the kids around." Erwin stated, clasping her necklace.

Elyse pouted, "You make it sound like I don't like that. I love chasing our kids around."

Erwin laughed, "Yes, and so do the press, Elyse."

At that reminder, Elyse sighed, accepting defeat. "Fine, I'll just go to this _garden tea party_ missing my children while their father goes around, kissing…butts."

Elyse managed to dodge Erwin's hand before he could pinch her, and with a laugh, Elyse ran to the car.

Braun was there once more. And Elyse found her heart pounding against her chest, confusing her.

He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Erwin excused himself once he saw the exchange, and before Elyse could stop him, Erwin went to go greet his friends, Eld and Gunter, who waved at her. She waved back, smiling, happy to see them and she couldn't wait to talk to them.

Until then, she'll have to deal with Braun coming up to her with that devastating smile that made her weak in the knees.

"You look beautiful, as always." Braun greeted her, offering her his arm. Elyse didn't feel right to take it, and he seemed to notice as he politely put his arm down.

"Hello, Braun." Elyse greeted back, softly. They stood there, a little awkward, until Braun cleared his throat. She looked up, a little flustered.

"Do you want to walk in the gardens with me?" Braun asked, suddenly, more quietly and more sincerely.

Not trusting her voice, Elyse nodded, shyly. Before they walked away, Elyse tried to look for Erwin and when she met his face, he smiled at her, encouragingly. She nodded back, smiling half-heartedly.

 _Even Erwin is rooting for me. Don't mess this up, Elyse. Think clearly._

Once they were in the gardens, Elyse and Braun walked, quietly.

"About last night…" They both said, simultaneously. They paused, blinking, and then they both began to laugh, easily.

"I guess some things never change." Elyse said, amused. Braun nodded, "We used to do that a lot, huh?" He asked in agreement.

It was as if the tension was off and the two of them began to catch up. Elyse laughed at the easiness of their conversation, and Braun got more confident with her as he placed a hand on her back, leading her through the garden maze. They talked about their past and about what they missed, and they talked about the present and about what they had. It was conversation after conversation, and Elyse felt her heart soar.

"So, after Australia, you mentioned you went home after an Army stint." Elyse stated, a bit curious. It had been bothering her. She had thought that he had been in Australia all this time, and she had been thinking of their conversations since he reappeared in her life.

Braun nodded, "I entered the Army after a month. Ever since I've been back and forth."

"A month?" Elyse asked, surprised, "What happened to dancing?" She could feel the bitterness coming up again. She let him leave only for him to quit?

The sorrow that clouded Braun's face took her aback, "It didn't feel…right." He stated, and Elyse didn't have to ask what he meant for that.

"Braun….I…I'm sorry. You were right about me breaking up with you. I used it as an excuse…" Elyse apologized, playing with her fingers. Braun's hands covered her hands and she looked up, she noticed that he was in front of her. His face, mere inches away from her, and he smiled at her.

"I forgive you, Elyse. I apologize for attacking you about…him and your father." Braun apologized back, and Elyse noticed that their hands were now intertwined.

"Braun…" Elyse whispered, warning bells ringing in her head, but it was too late. Braun titled her head up, and she found herself leaning in.

Their lips met and Elyse forgot to think.

* * *

Elyse was a flustered mess when she pulled away, quickly. "Braun, we can't." She whispered, harshly, looking around, trying to see if anyone saw. To her relief, she realized that they were still in the garden maze, covered by the tall bushes.

Braun sighed, still holding her hands, "I know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so forward. I just…I've missed you, Ely." He said, his green eyes earnest.

Elyse nodded, smiling a bit, her heart soaring, "I've missed you, too. But, I have a public life now. If someone saw us…my life will go downhill."

Braun nodded, understanding, "Let's…meet up at the fountain. Remember that fountain? We used to go there when we were kids with my mother."

Elyse's face brightened at the memory, and she nodded, "I do." As if remembering she was a wife and a mother, she shook her head after a moment, frowning, "I can't, Braun. I have kids and Erwin needs me to—"

Braun picked his card out of his suit pocket and he placed it in her hands, "Call me when you think you can, Ely. Okay?"

Elyse nodded, slowly.

Braun, carefully, placed a hand on her cheek and he caressed it, slowly.

"I'm so happy, Ely. I really can be happy now." Braun said, smiling. With that, he grabbed her hands and placed a kiss on both wrists in goodbye.

Once he left, Elyse stood in the garden maze, her heart beating fast, clutching on to the card in her hands as if it was her lifeline.

* * *

Erwin didn't question her on where she went with Braun on the way back home. He told her stories, amusing ones, and moved on to help her out the car when they got home. She thanked him, and Erwin and her went upstairs to complete the routine and check up on their kids.

Eren was the first one to greet them, jumping on his father's legs while Armin ran straight to his father's other leg. Mikasa was busy, concentrating on her drawing with Nifa. Elyse smiled, relieved at seeing her children.

Dinner came around, and Elyse thanked Nifa for preparing dinner, apologizing that she had to make Nifa cook. Nifa, as always, waved her apology off, laughing at her mistress's distress.

Erwin and Elyse laughed as they fed their children food and at the mess that was made. Erwin had whispered to Armin to throw food at Elyse, and Elyse warned Erwin with Mikasa's food. The Smith family was covered with food by the end of it.

As Erwin and Elyse excused Nifa from her duties, they took their kids to the bathroom and helped them in the bathtub.

In the middle of washing them, Erwin turned to Elyse, and she looked at him, noticing that he was curious.

"What?" She asked, with a slight smile. Erwin paused, and he shook his head as if thinking better of it.

"You can ask me, you know." Elyse said, sighing, nudging him with her elbow. Erwin rolled his eyes, but he gave in to his curiosity.

"So, is it working out between you two?" Erwin asked, finally, focusing his attention on cleaning Armin, rather than looking at Elyse.

Elyse hesitated, but she felt Erwin had a right to know. I mean, it had always been difficult between them. Lovers for a night, strangers in a marriage, and now weird friends in a family, it was chaotic, but he deserved to hear what transpired.

"Well, he kissed me. I kissed back, but I pulled away because I got scared." Elyse said, revealing a little _too_ much.

 _Smooth, Elyse, smooth._

Erwin didn't even blink, "That's good. Does that mean you'll want to meet secretly with him?" He asked, and she could already see him calculating a plan for her, to her horror.

"Erwin!" Elyse exclaimed, almost dropping a soapy Eren and Mikasa. "That's…That's too soon. What?" She sputtered, shocked.

Erwin stared at her, amused, "Are you seriously being weird about this right now? You tease me about my secretary all the time, but the moment we're on you, you're flustered?" He teased, poking a soapy finger on her cheek.

Elyse wiped her cheek and pushed his finger away in the process, muttering at him.

"Seriously, Elyse, sometimes, I don't understand you." Erwin said, laughing.

Elyse stared at him, " _You_ should be the last person talking."

The sound of Erwin laughing even louder echoed throughout the estate.

* * *

Once the children were in their crib, fast asleep, Elyse stepped inside her bathroom to wash up. She sat in the bath, thinking of the events that transpired and she sighed, sinking her body in the tub even more.

 _What do I do now? I obviously still have feelings for Braun, but I still have my duty. I'm a wife now and a mother. I'm not only a daughter anymore. But, that fountain…it's not like anyone knows about that fountain, and it's in a small area where I'm sure no one knows who I am, but still. Ugh._

The thoughts were running rampant in her mind, and she knew that talking to the insufferable man in the office would be the right thing to do. Her partner in all of this crazy stuff would _love_ to give his two cents in her love life.

After drying herself off and dressing herself in her night shift and robe, she approached his office and knocked.

Erwin opened the door and she noticed that he wasn't alone. Pretty Isabelle sat on the couch, smiling at her. She smiled back, sighing inwardly, which meant that she would have to ask for Erwin's advice on a later date.

"Yes, Elyse?" Eriwn asked her, surprised to see her, and that's when Elyse realized that Erwin hasn't seen her in her pajamas, and she flushed at that. She had been too deep in her thoughts to realize that she was going to talk to him in her silky, almost see-through clothes.

"Oh! Sorry, it's nothing. I'll ask you tomorrow! Hello, Isabelle." Elyse said, trying to be smooth despite her flustered self.

Erwin simply nodded, as if he was eager to get rid of her, making Elyse feel guilty, "Goodnight, Elyse."

With that said, Elyse found herself facing a closed door.

* * *

A:N/ AHA. I feel the frustrated reviews coming.


	15. Chapter 15

A:N/ I felt frustrated with Erwin and Elyse in the last chapter, so I'm writing chapter 15 now.

* * *

A year passed and another event season was over, and Elyse felt relief once Erwin informed her that she could rest with the children now. Erwin was amused once Elyse hugged him, thanking him as if he ended event season.

"I wouldn't relax now if I were you, Elyse." Erwin stated, amused. "We still have children that are learning how to get on tables." Elyse sighed at the mention of their new two and a half-year-olds climbing all over the furniture.

"I'd take that than having to sit and hear, 'Oh, darling, you'll damage your skin if you frown like that.'" Elyse stated, letting go of Erwin.

Erwin laughed at that, and he noticed that Elyse wasn't wearing her ring. "You went to go see Braun today?" He asked, nonchalantly, and Elyse blushed.

Erwin and Elyse talked about it after that night. He listened, whiskey in hand, and he smiled when she was all flustered and bothered about her situation. He suggested his plan. He would make sure that a bodyguard, someone other than Dieter since the press knows about Dieter, would be around, and that she would really have to dress down. That also meant to take off her ring when outside. Elyse felt a little weirded out, taking her ring out the first time.

The weight she felt on her finger was slightly missed since she always had it on.

Erwin was really helpful with her blossoming relationship with Braun, but they both never met. Elyse didn't mention to Braun about how her and Erwin's marriage was different compared to normal marriages because she didn't feel like it was the right time to tell him.

Even Erwin had pointed that out to her and that it had been a year since Braun and her were secretly "dating", but Elyse was adamant about not telling Braun.

"I don't trust him that much yet. Besides, I have the children to think about." Elyse pointed out one night as she talked to him in his office.

Their friendship was one thing that Elyse leaned on, and she noticed that ever since that one night she saw Isabelle in here, Erwin always opened his office to her, never surprised by her anymore.

Erwin nodded at that, and she knew that he wanted to say more, but he never did. And to be quite frank, it annoyed her. Yes, their friendship had him more open, but she barely knew anything about _him_. She's pretty sure at this point that Erwin knew more of her than she did of him because of his file on her from her father.

But, being with Braun, it made her miss dancing. Braun talked about his stint with the dance company, and Elyse was enchanted by it.

 _This is why you came to talk to Erwin's office. Just tell him, Elyse. It's not as if you have anything else to do since event season is over anyways._

Elyse repeated to herself when she found herself at Erwin's office door that night. Erwin opened his door and let her inside and she sat on her usual spot on the couch and he did the same on the opposite side of the couch.

He picked up a cigar, and he began to smoke it, waiting patiently for Elyse to start talking. When Elyse opened her mouth, Erwin held up a hand as if he thought of something, randomly.

"Before I forget, Levi and your father should be coming here by the end of the week. My father also expressed interest in coming here." Erwin stated, informing her.

Elyse nodded, surprised, "Yeah, my brother called me, but I was surprised. I thought event season was over, and my brother had to go before I could ask him about what's going on."

Erwin smiled at that, smoking his cigar, and Elyse narrowed her eyes at him, suspecting him.

"Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to grab that cigar out of your mouth?" Elyse asked, threatening Erwin, knowing fully well that he was capable of holding out news on her when he wanted to.

A year into their friendship and sometimes, he still loved being cryptic.

"I'm more scared of your reaction rather than my cigar being taken away from me." Erwin stated, still being annoyingly cryptic.

"Erwin…" Elyse warned him, ready to snatch the cigar. Erwin waved her off, easily pushing her back to her side.

"Fine, you persistent fraulen." Erwin sighed, giving in, "It's my 30th birthday."

Elyse paused. Everything hitting her at once.

"Oh. My. God. We never celebrated your birthday. Oh no, I'm horrible. This is horrible, why didn't you tell me about your birthday? Erwin, we did everyone's birthday except yours. How can you forget to tell me that it's your birthday for almost three years?" Elyse began to freak out, getting up, pacing the floor.

Erwin just sighed and settled back in the couch, still smoking his cigar.

"Erwin. Why didn't you tell me?" Elyse demanded, getting really upset. Erwin grabbed her hands, gently, but she pulled away, crossing them, and Erwin raised an eyebrow at her.

He took the cigar out of his mouth and put it on the ash tray, "Elyse…It's really not a big deal. That's why I didn't want this huge celebration, but our family insisted on it especially Hange. They told everyone and now, here we are."

Still upset, Elyse stared at him, frowning, "Erwin, we celebrated _everyone's_ birthday except yours."

Erwin nodded, smiling at her, amused, "You said that, Elyse, and I know and don't mind it. I don't like celebrations."

Elyse shook her head, stubbornly, and she began to tear up, visibly upset now, to the point of biting her lip.

Erwin sighed, pulling Elyse to him by her elbow, "Elyse, It's fine. This is why I didn't want to tell you. You have a compassionate side, and I don't want you to feel bad for me. I'm really fine."

Elyse, now settled by his side, as he tried to soothe her, wiped her face, angrily.

"I can't believe I didn't realize that we didn't celebrate your birthday for the three years that we were here. I'm horrible." Elyse grumbled, settling against Erwin.

Erwin chuckled, "I mean, we have three kids and you have Braun for a year now, I'm pretty sure you're not at fault here. I strategically filled your head with events and other things to make you busy."

Elyse still sighed, "That's no excuse. I can't believe I didn't know, and I'm really sorry for being a terrible wife."

Erwin laughed at that, flicking her forehead, "Enough, Elyse. You know now, and I give you half of my permission to do what you want with it."

Elyse got up then, raising an eyebrow at him, "Half your permission?"

Erwin nodded, "Because I'm pretty sure Hange is doing what they want, too."

That lifted Elyse's mood as she giggled, punching Erwin's arm as he smiled back at her.

"See? There's that smile. Now, stop pouting. And tell me what you were going to tell me earlier." Erwin said, wiping Elyse's cheek to get rid of the gunk that formed there when she cried a bit.

Elyse suddenly felt nervous, and she remembered that she was going to ask Erwin about something that would really mean a lot to her. He wouldn't deny her, and she knew that, but it still felt wrong for her to ask.

Erwin seemed to notice her hesitancy, and he sighed, "Elyse, I told you something that I didn't want to. It's your turn now."

"That was different. You _had_ to tell me because we're going to have company over." Elyse argued back, pulling away from Erwin's hold.

Erwin gave her a sarcastic look and Elyse smiled, feeling slightly at ease.

"Okay, fine. I…I want to dance again, so I was thinking of changing one of the rooms downstairs into a dance studio, but that means renovation costs, and I know I have no right to-"

"I'll call the company I used for the house renovations here tomorrow. I'll ask how quickly they can get it done, and I'm sure it'll be quick because they did your room and the nursery in two days." Erwin interrupted her, pulling his phone from his suit pocket.

Elyse stared at him, taken a back, "Erwin…are you sure? I just wanted to run it by you, and you don't have to make the call now. You can think about it."

Laughing, Erwin turned to her, "Elyse, it's a dance studio. You're not asking for the Eiffel Tower."

Elyse felt the déjà vu once he mentioned the Eiffel Tower.

 _My brother mentioned if I asked that you would give me the Eiffel Tower._

Elyse's heart warmed up as she watched Erwin call in favors, and when he hung up, she threw her arms around him, and thanked him.

* * *

Elyse threw herself into planning Erwin's birthday party even when she was on her dates with Braun at their fountain. Braun didn't question her, and he even helped her out with some of the shopping. A year of dating Braun, and she felt like nothing changed. He was still the same guy she had dated years ago, and it was comfortable.

She rarely mentioned Erwin and the kids around Braun, and he didn't question her about them. It truly did feel like she was 16 again. But, this time, she didn't shy away from talking about Erwin and the kids, and Braun listened, interested.

"He seems like a nice man." Braun stated, sipping on his iced coffee, and Elyse smiled, nodding.

"He's a good husband and father. And I can't believe I didn't remember that he had a birthday." Elyse sighed, penciling in another detail for the party.

"Well, you have three kids, and I'm sure that event season didn't really help with remembering." Braun said, shrugging.

"That's what he said, but that's no excuse." Elyse argued back. Braun smiled, kissing her cheek, "You'll be fine."

Elyse smiled at that, and she shyly asked, "Do you want to go to it? You can meet him, and— "

"Meet the man who managed to marry and impregnate my girl? I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Elyse." Braun said, laughing.

Elyse flushed, but she nodded, not saying anything else.

Because the moment Braun's lips are on hers, she forgets where she even is.

Everyone arrived for Erwin's 30th birthday, and Elyse was surprised when she didn't see Isabelle. She had questioned Erwin about it, but he looked at her as if she was slightly out of it.

"She's my secretary, Elyse. I'm not inviting professional co-workers unless I know them out of work." Erwin said, simply, as if it was already a known fact.

"But, you do know each other _personally_." Elyse stated, smiling, but Erwin didn't respond as he was taken aside by her father.

The party was a success. Erwin stated that he wanted nothing big, and Elyse pouted at that because she wanted to make up for the missed birthdays. Erwin was adamant, so Elyse had it in their backyard, and Erwin was very appreciative of it that he offered to run the errands for _his_ own birthday.

Elyse couldn't stop him if she tried.

They were surrounded by friends and family, and she watched as her brother and her father played with the kids. Freida and Petra were too busy knocking down shots with Hange. Eld and Gunther were the ones grilling in the backyard, the weather was perfect for it. Elyse invited a few more of Erwin's co-workers, ones that he wrote on a piece of paper for her. She was pleasantly surprised to see the elevator attendant among the faces.

He smiled at her, shyly, and she had kissed him on both cheeks in greeting, making him blush.

"Mama, look!" Eren called for her, and she walked to where he stood with her brother and she bent down to see what her son was pointing at.

He pointed in the distance, and Mikasa and her father were far-off and she could see Mikasa clinging on to something while her father tried to get her away from what she was holding.

Worried, Elyse walked to where they were, and she saw that Mikasa was holding on to a white kitten, who was injured. Her father was desperately trying to tell Mikasa to leave it alone because of possible diseases.

"It's okay, papa. I got it from here." Elyse said, trying to calm him down.

"That thing could have fleas, Elyse. Make sure she leaves it alone." Her father sighed, walking back to the group.

Mikasa was whimpering, trying to calm the kitten in her arms.

"Mika, you have to let go of the kitten, honey. You might get sick from it." Elyse explained, gently, opening her arms for her daughter.

Mikasa shook her head, stubbornly, "Kitten hurt, mama." Elyse smiled at her daughter's sweetness, so she decided to see what her daughter was seeing.

"Here, give the kitten to mama. Let me see what's wrong." Elyse said, gently. Mikasa, always trusting of her parents, obeyed, and Elyse examined the kitten.

The poor thing was injured. The kitten's leg twisted, wrongly, and she could see the bones protruding out.

"What's going on here?" Elyse heard Erwin ask as he approached them. Mikasa held out her arms for her father, and he picked her up with ease, still looking down at Elyse.

Elyse looked up and she saw Erwin's eyes dawn in understanding, "Ah, I see. Did you find this kitten, Mikasa?"

Mikasa nodded, "It was hurt, papa." Erwin nodded, gravely, "You want to save the kitten?"

"Yes, papa." Mikasa said, stubbornly and begging. Elyse knew that Erwin was already a goner.

Smiling, Elyse watched as Erwin, hesitantly, called for Hange.

She laughed when Hange was surprised at the request, but the doctor did a thorough check-up and once Hange proclaimed that the kitten was clean, just hungry and injured, Elyse knew what the next verdict was, staring up at Erwin's hesitant face.

"Guess we have a pet now." Erwin said, sighing. Elyse tried to stifle her laughter, but Erwin caught her with a glare.

"Guess we give you everything now, huh, ma petite?" Elyse whispered to Mikasa, who giggled as her mother tickled her. The groan from Erwin just made Elyse smile even wider and Mikasa giggle louder.

* * *

The kitten healed, nicely, and it was just as mischievous as the children. Erwin was ever more upset when the kitten taught the kids how to climb up on couches and chairs.

"You make it seem like they didn't know how to do that before." Elyse said, amused. Erwin sighed, looking at papers as they both sat down in the living room, watching their kids and the kitten play.

"They didn't know how to do it, _expertly_." Erwin pointed out, glaring at the kitten.

Elyse laughed, "Oh, please. You're just finding excuses to hate on him." Him being the kitten. Mikasa named the kitten, "maus", and Elyse had laughed at that, non-stop. Erwin sighed at that, but she pointed out that it was his fault for trying to teach their kids German without a proper teacher.

"It's in the basics, Elyse. It's like how you teach our kids French." Erwin argued, as he tried to teach his kids basic words in German.

"Yes, but at least I know what I'm saying, Erwin. You only have words from here and there. I also only know a few words." Elyse pointed out.

She was then promptly shut down when Erwin turned to look her in the eye, smiling, and he spoke in German.

Elyse, shocked, glared at him, "You didn't tell me you knew German fluently."

Erwin shrugged and smiled, innocently, at her, "You didn't ask."

But, she still argued about teaching her kids German without a proper teacher, and he argued that they should learn French with a proper teacher also, hitting Elyse's pride point.

So, they were now here with a kitten named Maus after the German word, "mouse." Oh, the irony.

Elyse got up after a while, and she turned to Erwin, who looked at her, questioningly. She smiled, pointing to the new room that was just made in their house.

"I'm going to dance now." She stated, already feeling the excitement in her veins. Erwin smiled and nodded, "Enjoy."

Mikasa heard the word, "dance", and she ran to her mother, begging to dance also, and Elyse complied, taking her daughter to the dance studio.

She told Mikasa to watch first, and Mikasa obeyed, watching her mother in awe. Elyse smiled at that. It had been a thing between mother and daughter since the dance studio was made. The kids had watched their mother, but Mikasa was the one who faithfully stayed and watched her mother until she tried to copy her right after.

The music began to play and Elyse lost herself in the music, remembering her training and remembering her lesson. It had come easily to her. When Erwin was at work and the kids were down for their nap, Elyse had Freida watch her and asked to critique her.

Once Elyse had been done dancing for Freida, she looked at her, expectantly.

Freida stared at her for a moment until she raised an eyebrow and said, "Elyse, if you're looking for a critique, the only thing I'll say is that you are so fucking infuriating even more because you are literally _perfect_."

Elyse rolled her eyes at her friend, but Freida persisted, "All jokes aside, Elyse. It's as if you haven't left the dance scene. I expected the usual mishaps, but there literally wasn't any. You dance better than some of the dancers in my company. Seriously, how were you pregnant and gone from the dance scene for three years, yet you still dance like you never stopped. It's unbelievable, really."

Elyse paused at her friend's words, and she began to tear, making Freida freeze up and run to her friend, hugging her.

That's when Elyse began to sob, and Freida laughed, "Don't be so dramatic, Elyse. You're dancing now."

 _I'm dancing now._

Once the music stopped, Elyse did her final pose, and she opened her eyes to her daughter walking up to her, clapping. Her heart warmed at the sight and she threw Mikasa up in the air, laughing.

 _You're right, Freida. I'm dancing now, and I'm dancing with my daughter._

* * *

"I've decided to build a small house next to the estate." Erwin told her one night, and Elyse looked up at him in surprise.

She was washing dishes and Erwin was next to her, drying the dishes.

"Whatever for?" Elyse asked, a bit surprised.

"Well, our kids are big enough to have their own bedroom, and we have guests always over." Erwin explained, "And I want to give Nifa her own little house, and Dieter too. They've been with us for three years now, and they deserve more than just two guest bedrooms." Erwin explained, and Elyse actually like the thought of that.

"That's sweet. You should do that." Elyse said, agreeing to it.

Erwin nodded, deep in thought, and he opened his mouth to say something, but he thought better of it and shook his head.

"Erwin…" Elyse prodded, in warning. Erwin sighed, "Your father and my father pulled me aside on my birthday to talk to me about something they've noticed."

Elyse winced at that, "Oh no, what did they notice?"

Erwin took a moment before answering, carefully watching her face, "They noticed that we don't sleep in the same bedroom."

Elyse dropped the dish she washing, and she whipped to face him, "Did…Did anyone else notice?"

Erwin shook his head, much to her relief, "They only noticed because they saw me come out of my room, next to the office, because they decided to wake up early morning for business calls and I go out for my morning workout. Remember how we tell everyone that it's just a closet? Well, our fathers were clearly surprised and upset when they saw me come out of our so-called closet."

Elyse sighed, "Why would they be upset? They know that our marriage isn't…normal."

After washing their hands and drying them, Elyse sat at the dining table, waiting for Erwin to respond as he sat down in front of her, "Well…they really thought that we really _were_ married, as in the whole in love and making love married."

Flustered, Elyse didn't how to respond to that, as she was hit with all the thoughts of Braun in her mind, "Oh."

Erwin chuckled, "Elyse, don't worry. I smoothed it out, kind of. They argued with me about how someone might see us sleeping in separate rooms and how it would especially affect our children when they grow up and realize this. I told them when it came to the time that happens, we'll figure it out."

"I bet that didn't get them to be quiet." Elyse whispered, remembering that her father was not one to back down from his opinion. That's where her brother got it…and her if she was being completely honest.

"No, not really, so I…came up with a compromise." Erwin said, looking at Elyse, and she noticed that he managed to grab a glass of whiskey without her looking.

"Oh no, tell me." Elyse said, readying herself.

"When people come over, we have to sleep in the same room. Our fathers want either room locked, and they want to see us coming out of the same damn room as if we're their prisoners." Erwin stated, a little bit miffed.

Elyse simply blinked, not miffed, "Oh."

Erwin looked at her then, surprised, "Oh? Am I the only one who sees that that's weird or…?"

Elyse shrugged, laughing a bit, "It could be a lot worse, Erwin. They could, oh I don't know, make us get married once more and renew our vows, so the press could eat that up. Or, they could actually threaten us by replacing you with another head of the company and you'll have to work under that person. Or, they could threaten to, get this, _move in with us_."

Erwin flipped her off, and Elyse giggled, placing a hand on his arm, reassuringly, "It's no big deal. We sleep in the same room, and-"

"What if I hurt you again? What if you wake up with me choking you?" Erwin asked, interrupting her, and Elyse could see the shame in his eyes. It had been years since that happened, and it had frightened Elyse. It was the reason they hadn't been talking for at least a year.

Elyse tightened her hold on his arm, "What did you tell me about your last therapy sessions?"

Erwin closed his eyes, and he tried to pry Elyse's fingers off his arm, but she remained, stubbornly.

"He said that I should start trusting myself now, that I should be _with_ my family and friends, not excluding them." Erwin said, repeating what he told her at least a week ago.

Elyse smiled at that, "See? It'll be okay. I'll be right next to you, and if I have to stay up the first night to watch you, then so be it. I can always finish reading a book."

Erwin looked at her, seriously, "I don't want to hurt you." Elyse paused, and she kissed his cheek, softly.

"You won't."

* * *

They had company over the next day, which consisted of Levi and their two fathers, everyone already flew to their designated areas after Erwin's birthday. As if they wanted to make sure that Erwin would stay true to his word, their fathers bid them goodnight and watched as Erwin and Elyse enter what originally was Erwin's room.

When they closed the door, Elyse rolled her eyes, "It was like being watched by police guards." She groused, amused. She noticed that Erwin went straight to the bathroom, so she changed quickly and waited for Erwin to be done. While she waited, she looked around his room in amazement.

It was spacious, sparse, and painted a dark navy, but what she noticed was the _awards_. She knew he was in the Army and that he was in a special unit, but she didn't know he was _decorated_. From all the awards, she realized that Erwin wanted to be in the Army since he was a kid. He graduated from a specialized military school in America.

 _Woah, West Point. That's in New York._

He, then, went back to Germany to help his home country out and spent several years in the Army before he graduated with his Master's in Business.

She was already up at this point, caressing his medals gently.

"I'm sorry, I would've cleaned up, but I didn't have the time to." Erwin apologized from behind, and Elyse turned around, ready to tease him, but she paused when she realized that Erwin was technically naked except for his boxers covering…

She turned red, but Erwin didn't seem to notice as he pointed to the bathroom after wiping his face with a towel.

"You can use the bathroom now." Erwin said. Elyse almost ran into the bathroom. She did her usual nightly routine, and she patted her face with cold water to cover up the redness.

 _That's what I forgot about_. _He practically sleeps naked. Okay, it's not like he's going to do something, Elyse. Get your mind out of that dirty thinking._

She had Braun to think about, and she realized that she almost forgot about him during the chaos of her mind once she saw Erwin.

Calming herself once more, Elyse returned to the bedroom and she saw Erwin, sitting up, with a robe on, looking at papers. Except that he had _glasses_ on.

"When did you get glasses?" Elyse asked, surprised. Erwin looked at her, confused, "I've always had glasses, Elyse. They're only for reading. I kind of fucked up my sight cause of trying to read in the dark when I was in the Army."

Elyse nodded, still a bit surprised, but she sat on the bed and pulled the covers aside so she could bury herself in it. She only had a light night shift on, and she was starting to regret it, but it was summer and it was hot. She had every right to wear what she wanted to sleep even if it meant that she would be next to Erwin's hardened body.

The last time that happened was when they conceived Armin.

Blushing at that, Elyse tried to bury her head in the pillow, which drew Erwin's attention to her.

"Is the light bothering you? Should I go to the office?" Erwin asked, concerned, trying to see her face.

Elyse shook her head, and Erwin was still curious, and he leaned down, concerned, "Are you uncomfortable?"

"No, I'm just hot." Elyse didn't lie. She technically was hot.

Erwin made a move to get up, but Elyse stopped him by brushing her hand against his thigh, and she yelped, making herself almost fall out of bed.

The sound of Erwin's laughter reached Elyse's ear as he went to her side, quickly, helping her up.

"Elyse, look at me." Erwin said, and Elyse obeyed, not even caring if her face was bright read anymore.

"Nothing's going to happen. Just relax." Erwin reassured her, his smile more amused than reassuring.

Elyse rolled her eyes, "I know that. I'm taken, remember?" She proceeded to get in the bed once more, and she felt Erwin return too. After a moment, Erwin turned off the light and she felt him shift next to her.

"Nothing is going to happen, I promise." Erwin promised. "Unless you want it too." He teased. Elyse swore she could feel his breath on her ear, but she pinched him in response, and the sound of his laughter lulled her to sleep.

* * *

She almost jumped out of bed. She had promised to stay awake for Erwin, so she could check on him, but she fell asleep. She looked around, scared at what may have happened to Erwin, but she relaxed once she saw that he was fast asleep, peaceful.

She stared at him, and she smiled at how vulnerable he looked. He woke up then, and he looked utterly confused, but once he saw her, she noticed that he visibly relaxed.

"I thought something happened to you." Erwin said, roughly. Elyse rolled her eyes at that, "Yes, because we are not at home, and we are in the middle of an unknown campsite where predators are hiding."

Erwin groaned, "Elyse, it's too early to be joking around." Elyse scoffed at that.

"You work out in the morning earlier than this." Elyse pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't have to deal with you this early in the morning." Erwin argued.

His argument was stifled once Elyse threw her pillow at him.

* * *

She met with Braun later on in the day, and they began to stroll in an unknown park, holding hands, while her bodyguard trailed her, carefully. He had been doing a great job, even Braun didn't know they were being watched.

"How was the birthday?" Braun asked, politely. Elyse smiled, "It went great. We got a new kitten because of it. Mikasa named it Maus."

"Maus?" Braun asked, amused, "The German word for 'mouse'?"

Elyse sighed and nodded, "Erwin insisted on teaching our kids German, but-"

"Oh, I see." Braun interrupted her, and Elyse froze, realizing that she was talking about her family with him.

"I'm sorry, Braun." She apologized, squeezing his hand.

Braun smiled at her and he kissed her, and Elyse forgot about what she was sorry about.

* * *

Mikasa was dancing on her feet while Eren and Armin watched with the kitten. Elyse and Mikasa giggled while Eren and Armin began to complain for a turn. Elyse agreed, and she gave them each turns, and their laughter was addicting to hear. Her heart uplifted at the sound, and it made her fall in love with them more.

"So, there you all are." Erwin's voice caught their attention, and the children ran to their father, pulling on his pants, welcoming him home.

Elyse smiled at him, greeting him. Erwin walked up to her, carrying as many kids as he could. Eren was settled on his shoulders and Mikasa and Armin were in his arms, laughing.

"How was work?" Elyse asked. Erwin sighed, "Same old men, same old sh—things."

Elyse threw him a pointed glance, and he smiled in apology.

"Papa, watch Mama dance!" Armin exclaimed. Mikasa nodded, excited too. Eren simply pulled on his father's hair.

Elyse blushed at that, "Your father had a busy day, I don't think-"

"I would _love_ to watch your mother dance." Erwin stated, smiling at Elyse, who glared at him in return.

Setting the kids down, Erwin sat with them, as they all gathered on his lap. Elyse simply stood there, wishing to disappear. She noticed that the kitten was there, so she tried to distract them with that, but it was a lost cause.

"Dance, Elyse." Erwin said, a simple command, and Elyse wanted to throw the kitten at his face, but she had no choice but to comply especially with her children begging for it too.

She readied herself, and once the music played, she lost herself once more, remembering the feeling of freedom in her body when she danced. The music in her soul and mind, completing the symphony her body adored.

Once it was over, she steadied her final pose and bowed.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the kids were clapping, happily, but it was Erwin's reacting that was priceless.

He was staring at her like she was the only girl in the world.

It made her feel uncomfortable, but his stare was so intense. It reminded her of their first meeting, and it also reminded her of that night in her Julliard dorm room.

He got up, and he approached her. She forgot how to move, and it was too late when she remembered because Erwin grabbed her hands, and he leaned in.

"Elyse." He said her name as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world, and she didn't know how to respond.

"Yes?" She managed to squeak out. _Nice one, Elyse._

"You…have the most beautiful gift. Truly, the most beautiful. I am honored to have witnessed what I just saw." Erwin finished, kissing her hand.

Elyse flushed at that, "A-Are you sure? I mean, I'm out of touch. I haven't been practicing as much as I liked, and I-"

"Tomorrow. What are you doing tomorrow?" Erwin suddenly asked, shushing her.

Elyse blinked, "I..I don't think I have anything planned."

Erwin nodded at that, paying attention to their kids once more as he picked them up.

"We're going to go out tomorrow once I get home. Be ready." Erwin stated, and Elyse had no choice but to agree as he walked out with their children.

* * *

Elyse didn't even know what she was getting ready for. She chose a simple summer dress and accessorized with a choker and gladiator sandals. Her hair was down in waves from the bun she had placed it in from last night.

She texted Erwin, but he didn't respond, so she patiently waited by playing with the kids in the living room.

Erwin came home, but she noticed that he was dressed noticeably relaxed compared to his office attire. He had a simple white dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top, and he had _jeans_ on with casual shoes on instead of the dress shoes he usually wore.

He also had sunglasses on, and he gave Elyse a pair, too.

Kissing the kids quickly and thanking Nifa, they both got to the car, and Elyse turned to question Erwin, but he placed a finger to his lips and with a sigh, Elyse knew she would have to wait.

They arrived to the destination, and Elyse only knew that because Erwin signaled the driver to stop. He turned to Elyse and he said in a very serious voice, "You need to keep your head down. The press followed me after work, and they definitely saw you with me, coming out of the house."

Elyse sighed, but she obeyed, trusting Erwin was sometimes a hassle, but he was always trustworthy. He helped her out the car, and Elyse realized that the press was there, and they were screaming at them. She winced, she didn't miss _that_ sound.

They were entering a building, but Elyse couldn't look up to see what they were entering. After a moment, it got dark and quiet. Elyse started to freak out a bit.

"Erwin…?" Elyse asked, frightened, and she tightened her grip on his hand, and Erwin squeezed back, reassuringly.

"Don't worry. I'm still here." Erwin replied, comfortingly. After a moment of more walking, Elyse found themselves stopping and she was tempted to look up.

"Okay, you can look up now." Erwin said, his voice not betraying any sense of emotion.

Elyse did.

And her heart fell, and so did her mouth. She was standing on a stage, facing hundreds of seats and the architecture of the building was so achingly familiar, she thought she was in one of her many dreams.

"Erwin…don't tell me…this is…" Elyse couldn't find the words to express anything, and she found wetness on her cheeks as she shakily placed a hand on her mouth.

She just couldn't believe it.

Erwin was behind her, and he lightened up the area even more, revealing what she knew what had to be true.

"That's not all, Elyse." Erwin said, turning her towards him, and Elyse looked at him, questioningly.

"I bought it. This is the business venture I kept. I wanted it to be my wedding gift to you since you had to leave it behind back in New York City. Sorry, it took three years, because it really needed renovating and redecorating, but it's finished now. It also happened to be finished the day I saw you dance, so you could call it a christening of some sort." Erwin laughed, and Elyse just found herself staring at him in disbelief in awe.

"You bought it…for me?" Elyse asked, not knowing how to feel.

Erwin nodded, turning her once more and motioned throughout the whole building.

"This is all yours."

And with those words, Elyse knew it wasn't a dream.

Erwin just bought her the stage that her mother once performed on.

* * *

A:N/ Awwwww, isn't Erwin the sweetest? SURPRISE. HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER.


	16. Chapter 16

A:N/ Here's my long chapter before vacay. Enjoy!

The usual disclaimer here.

* * *

Elyse couldn't breathe. Her wedding present? This magnificent theatre that she had memorized since she was a little girl. Her aunt told her stories of how her mother would be the prima donna of the opera house and how many admirers flocked to the opera house for her.

She remembered the stories of how her aunt was the ballerina dancer and how her mother was the opera singer that dominated the shows every afternoon and evening.

"This is also where your father fell in love with your mother, ma petite. This is where he picked her up when she tripped on the way to her dressing room. And that's when your father knew she was the one." Her aunt would tell her, whispering it into her hair as she lulled her to sleep with her stories.

Her brother also told her how he was brought to the opera house by his father so they could hear and watch her mother sing, and Elyse had been extremely jealous at that. But, her brother soothed her when she had clung to him, crying.

The whole reason why Elyse pursued the dream of the arts was because of this old building that had been closed down the moment her family left France. She had planned to come back here after Julliard, and she would beg her father to invest in it and try to pull on his heart strings to do so, but that was before he had almost forced her to marry Mr. Garnier and then she got pregnant and here she was with her...

Elyse looked at Erwin, her tears starting to fall, "I can't believe you did this for me."

Erwin smiled at her, "You gave up everything back in New York City. I'm not going to let you give up on your dream."

Elyse ran to hug him, and he laughed when she tripped into the embrace rather than smoothly hug him.

"Shut up." Elyse said, her voice strained from crying.

She pulled away after a moment, wiping her cheeks, quickly. She began to walk on the stage, and her face lit up and the little details she saw and remembered. The renovation didn't change anything, but instead, the renovation polished the building to become new-looking yet embracing the rustic beauty of the building.

Giggling, Elyes began to dance across the stage, jumping and spinning, as if she was floating on air. She came to a stop in front of Erwin, who was just staring at her, grinning.

And that's when she grabbed his hand, "Dance with me."

And he did.

* * *

He sucked, understandably. Elyse teased him, and he shrugged, his eyes still cryptically amused. Once they were done dancing, Elyse and Erwin sat on the edge of the stage, their legs dangling as they looked at the empty theatre.

"So, what's the plan?" Elyse asked, still in awe of what just happened. Erwin shrugged, "It's yours. I simply bought it."

Elyse looked around, excitedly, "I get to hire people and such? It's really mine?" She asked, excitedly.

Erwin chuckled, "Yes, Elyse. You get to do what you want. You have more experience and expertise in this than I do. Your brother also offered to help out if you're stuck."

Elyse shook her head, sighing and smiling, "Of course, he was on it too, huh."

"Everyone was in on it. Freida, Petra, Hange, Eld, Gunther, Isabelle, your father, and my father. The kids, too. I trusted them more since they don't really know how to talk yet." Erwin said, teasingly at the end.

"Isabelle?" Elyse asked, catching the random name amongst the others. Then, it suddenly piqued her curiosity, and she looked at him, warily.

"So, the time when I caught you two wasn't because of…?" Elyse asked, trying to get an answer out of him for once about his kind secretary, who happened to be gorgeous also.

Erwin simply smiled at her, his cryptic eyes showing nothing, and Elyse groaned, warningly. The infuriating man put up his hands in defense.

"Anyways, we need to get back home now and you can start planning and hiring for this place. There are a couple of papers on my desk with applications if you want to look at it. Levi also added some to the works, and Freida is already dying to join the company you choose so she can be here in Paris with all of us." Erwin said, completely changing the subject as he stood up, offering her his hand.

Elyse begrudgingly accepted his help, and she stood up, staring at him. Erwin cocked his head, slightly, questioning her. Instead of answering him, Elyse wrapped her arms around him, gently.

"I really can't thank you enough for this, Erwin." Elyse whispered, tiptoeing so she can place her chin on his shoulder. Erwin had also bent down to hold her, and she could feel his smile on her bare shoulder.

"Having you as a friend and a mother to my children is enough." He replied, smoothly.

Elyse did her best to ignore the raised flesh that appeared when she heard his whisper.

* * *

When they got home, Erwin showed her the applications as promised and they both went through the paperwork. The kids were already asleep, so they had ordered dinner, and they ate in his office. Settling on the couch, they ate and laughed as they agreed and disagreed with what should be done about the theatre.

"I think we should make it a ballet school while having performances every weekend." Elyse stated, noting that the opera theatre also had another building for where the theatre companies used to practice and relax.

Erwin nodded, nodding his thanks as Elyse shoved yet another piece of chicken in his mouth. He glared at her when she laughed at the first time she decided that she wanted him to stop talking, so she just popped one in his mouth when he was mid-talking. But, he ended up being grateful, which annoyed Elyse.

The man was literally okay with anything she did, and he adjusted himself for whatever she threw at him.

It bothered her how perfect he was, yet he was still so stoic and unreadable that it scared her at times.

She watched as Erwin pointed out certain things on the paperwork, and she realized that he really did help out with everything since three years ago, but he was already planning to help out with the future plans.

The future terrified her.

She didn't really start thinking about the future until she realized that her children were going to start pre-school soon, so she enlisted Petra and Hange's help with that, and she even asked Erwin if Isabelle could help, too.

She didn't even know why she asked Isabelle for help, but Isabelle did help, giving Elyse a whole list of schools she managed to gather from top-businessmen and their families.

Erwin had told her to throw away the list. And Elyse was horrified.

"We're going to have them tutored, Elyse. They're not ready to be out in public eye, and as their father, I trust the estate to be the safest place from them right now."

Elyse was already shut down before she could argue back as Erwin gave her a cold look, a protective one, and she found no energy to complain.

He was really pushy and adamant when he wanted to be.

"Elyse? Are you listening?" Erwin's voice broke through her thoughts, and Elyse blinked, and she coughed, "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something."

Erwin sighed, but he continued on and Elyse listened, half-heartedly, knowing fully well that Erwin had everything under control anyways.

* * *

She mentioned it to Braun. She didn't mean for it to be a complaint, and she just wanted some insight on what she _should_ be feeling.

"He's a bit controlling, but I think he means well." Braun said, after listening to what Elyse said.

"I know, I know. He gets so intense sometimes. If I ever tried to talk over him, he looks at me as if I've grown two heads." Elyse said, sighing.

Braun chuckled, "I mean, if I were their father, I'd agree with tutoring, but I would compromise with you. You want the kids to enjoy outside life, and that's normal, but it's also normal for a parent to be protective like your husband. It's more than just communication, it's all about compromises, too."

Elyse smiled at Braun, kissing his cheek. "You're amazing; you know that?"

Braun smiled, and he began to kiss her, slowly, and Elyse began to lose herself until he broke it off and whispered in her ear, "How about I show you how amazing you are?"

Elyse blushed and grew flustered. She knew what he was alluding to, and he had been dropping hints for over a month now, but he never forced her.

It just didn't feel…right. Sure, Erwin was already helping her out with this, and he had _Isabella_. But, all she could think about was how _weird_ it was. She was a wife and a mother, and even though she let Erwin do what he wanted, she just didn't feel like it was right for her to do what she wanted. Having Braun in her life was already enough for her.

Elyse smiled, shyly at Braun, and shook her head.

She saw the dark look of frustration in his eyes, but it disappeared in a millisecond as he nodded as if it was never there, as if she imagined it.

* * *

"Mama! Can you sing me to sleep?" Armin asked, running up to Elyse as she cleared the living room of her kids' toys.

Elyse smiled at her little blonde boy, and she nodded, "Okay, mon petite. Just let me finish cleaning up here."

Armin nodded, and he ran upstairs, having Nifa trail after him, tiredly. Elyse smiled, understandingly.

The children had beds now in the nursery. The cribs were taken away due to the ever-growing three kids that were starting to run around and scream everywhere. Erwin had replaced the cribs with beds, and sometimes, Elyse would just catch them sharing one bed, their limbs all over the place as they slept.

Erwin was amused at that, and Elyse sighed but she smiled. They really were joint at the hip.

Elyse loved it when they asked her to sing or tell them a story before they went to sleep, and it warmed her heart when Erwin would join them and he would add more stories of his own, and Elyse found herself knowing more of Erwin and his Army life.

Their children looked at Erwin like a superhero. The stories were what encouraged them to call him their, "super Papa," and Erwin would chuckle at that, his eyes shining yet still so dark when Elyse heard him speak.

She knew he still struggled, and that's what bothered her the most. The therapy sessions were working, and when they had company over and had to share the same room, he had been at peace and she still had her throat intact, but she could tell that Erwin was still a bit cautious with the kids.

She walked up the stairs, and she entered their room, laughing when she saw them immediately get into their beds, looking at her expectantly.

She began to sing as she sat in the rocking chair that they still kept in the nursery. When they began to close their eyes, Erwin entered in, slowly and quietly, as Elyse motioned for him to come in.

Once the parents were satisfied that the kids were asleep, Erwin motioned for Elyse to join him in his office. He closed the door behind them, and Elyse settled by sitting on his desk, picking up the paperwork. Her eyes froze on what she saw.

"You…You already signed off on the professionals?" Elyse asked, a bit annoyed and shocked.

 _He promised that I would be the one running it._

Erwin nodded, not even noticing that Elyse was put off by it. "I met most of them with Freida and your brother. I had flown Freida here for two days for it, actually, and-"

"I thought you said it was mine to run." Elyse interrupted him, feeling angry and hurt.

 _Elyse, you have no right to be upset. Okay, he said it was a gift and he promised that you would run it, but he bought it. What did you expect?_

The confusing emotions she felt were enough for her to begin to clench her fists.

"Elyse?" Erwin asked, concerned, coming to her side, grabbing her chin so she could face him.

She swatted his hand away and stood up, staring at him angrily, "You promised me that it would be mine to run, but of course, like always, you just do what you want."

Erwin frowned and crossed his arms, "Elyse…I just thought this would give you a head start-"

"Of course, you did. You _always think_ that I'd be happy about it, but did you ask me? I didn't notice my name in the mix of hiring the professional teachers." Elyse argued, her voice getting slightly louder.

Erwin's gaze narrowed, and Elyse could tell that he was starting to get a little annoyed too.

 _Good, at least you have some emotion that I can read on your face._

"What do you want from me, Elyse?" Erwin finally asked, his voice challenging her, "I gave you a theatre and I did what I thought best, and I didn't think you would have time to do it since you have Braun to think of."

"Oh, don't you dare attack me with that. You're the one persisted that I should follow my heart, besides did I ever complain about Isabelle-"

"I am not attacking you about Braun, I'm simply pointing out facts, Elyse. Don't you try to make it seem like I'm complaining when I'm not."

Elyse wanted to tear her hair out. Of course, he would ignore her statement about Isabelle like always.

"Braun said that you should compromise with me, not steamroll all over me." Elyse pointed out, weakly, trying to get her two cents in.

That seemed to break something within Erwin. His chuckle turned dark and his stare turned cold, making Elyse shiver, inwardly.

"Oh? So, you told your little boyfriend that you weren't happy about how I was running things instead of me? And then, the man told you that _I'm_ the one who should compromise. You listen here, _Elyse_. I let you have everything you wanted, and this is the thanks I get? If your boyfriend is so perfect, why isn't he the one taking care of you? You know why? It's because you have _me_."

Erwin was angry. Oh, he was livid. Elyse could see it in his very being, and this was the most emotion she ever got from him. She was stuck, and she had no idea what to do about it. She just wanted to have her own way for once, and it had backfired, terribly.

"Braun takes care of me in his own way. He can't be with me the way he wants because of you. He respects our lives with our children." Elyse pointed out, trying to find stable ground to argue on.

Erwin stared at her, and she grew scared when she noticed that his smile was more predatory then cryptic. She missed the cryptic one more than ever right now.

"Do you want me to stop playing your husband then? Let's go back to me taking care of the family from a distance?" Erwin asked, challenging her, his eyes hardened.

Elyse broke down, and Erwin stood there, his hardened emotions disappearing at once.

 _He really went that far._

He reached out for her, hesitantly, and Elyse pulled away, sharply and angrily.

"What is wrong with you? All I wanted to was to point out that you need to stop being so domineering, and yet you still threaten me by returning me to loneliness in this family? We have _kids_ , Erwin, or were you so caught up in winning your argument against me that you didn't realize that? You don't want to be friends anymore just because I wanted to _control_ something for once in this twisted marriage, then fine. I give up, Erwin. _You_ win." Elyse cried, softly, backing away from him as she wiped her cheeks.

"Elyse…" Erwin began, running a frustrated hand through his hair, but he didn't continue. Elyse laughed, hollow, and she turned to leave, the sound of his closing door replicated the sound of her heart locking up against him.

* * *

She sat outside on the porch, listening to the waves hit the rocks against their estate, and she snuggled more deeply in her blanket as she listlessly stared off into a distance.

She couldn't sleep, her head filled with despairing thoughts.

She heard footsteps from behind her and she closed her eyes at the familiar sound.

"Elyse." He called for her, but she refused to budge.

 _He doesn't want to listen to me, then I don't have to listen to him._

The sound of the footsteps got closer and Elyse snuggled closer to the corner of the patio couch when she saw Erwin's frame settle on the other side, replicating how they usually sat in his office in front of the fireplace, but she made sure nothing of herself touched him.

She was too angry to even look at him.

"Elyse, I'm sorry." Erwin stated, his voice clear and apologetic, but Elyse refused to budge, still staring at the murky waves in the dark night. The stars shone brightly and Elyse comforted herself with the scenery in front of her.

When she didn't respond, Erwin sighed, but he continued, "You were right. I promised that the theatre would be yours to run, but I just went ahead and thought was best. I didn't mean to break my promise, but I did."

Elyse felt herself softening at the sound of his sincerity, and she peeked a look at him, and he was staring at her, earnestly.

That's when she sighed, relaxing her legs so her feet touched his thighs. Erwin relaxed at that, grabbing a foot so he could massage it.

"I also want to apologize about what I said about Braun. I know he meant well, but the sense of male pride reared its ugly head with me. He was right. We need to compromise. Is there anything you want to compromise on?" Erwin apologized and prodded, and Elyse dropped the blanket, so she could look at him fully.

"I'm sorry, too." Elyse said, softly, and Erwin raised an eyebrow at that.

"What for?" He asked, still massaging her foot, gently.

"For taunting you. For what I said about Isabelle." Elyse said, suppressing a sigh of relief as Erwin kept massaging her feet. Dancing was taking a toll on them and she was more than grateful for this massage.

Erwin laughed, softly, "You're not in the wrong for that. If anything, that's my fault. I should've just squashed your insinuations the first time."

"My insinuations?" Elyse asked, curiously.

"Isabelle…we're not what you think we are." Erwin said, chuckling, and Elyse froze, pulling back her legs and leaning forward.

"You're not…making love with her?" Elyse asked, bewildered and still a prude, flustered. Erwin rolled his eyes at her choice of words.

"No, we're not fucking each other." Erwin said, smiling at Elyse's warning look, "We never were. The only times she was with me was when I asked for her expertise with the opera house. Her father and mother are both involved in architecture and the arts, and she's studying design, also."

"But the time where she was _disheveled_." Elyse pointed out, remembering how Isabelle looked out of sorts that evening.

"She had a mishap when she tried helping a construction worker and she had to rush to the office to help me out with my wardrobe because Petra wasn't able to for personal reasons." Erwin explained, amused, "I could see why you thought it though."

Elyse truly felt stupid. She punched his arm, and Erwin kept laughing.

"Why didn't you just say you weren't…you know?!" Elyse argued, exasperated.

"Fucking?" Elyse threw him another warning look, but he continued, "I don't know. It was fun, and maybe I wanted to make you jealous."

Elyse rolled her eyes at that, "Ha ha, Erwin. Seriously."

Erwin, teasingly, smiled, "To be honest, it was just fun to be mysterious about it. And I didn't see no harm with keeping you amused. You seemed to be eating it up, and I just let it happen."

"You're seriously annoying, Erwin." Elyse sighed, kicking him in the thigh after he placed her foot down.

Erwin smiled, and a moment of silence passed over them. But, Elyse was still curious.

"Why didn't you just… _do_ it? If not Isabelle, why not find someone else to…you know." Elyse asked, curiously. "You let me have Braun, n-not like we did anything, but y-you know what I mean."

Erwin contemplated her question, and thankfully, he ignored her last statement.

"I thought about it. Isabelle isn't shy to show her interest in me, and we are sometimes, flirtatious, but it never extended anywhere and it stopped once it was revealed that I was married. Other women were candidates for _fucking_ —Elyse, it's called fucking, get over it-but I keep my promises, Elyse." Erwin stated, honestly.

"Promises?" Elyse asked, confused.

"Did you forget already? I promised you, before we got married, that I intended to stay a faithful husband until we got to talking about the issue. I don't see the need for it, so I wasn't bothered to talk about it. I have business and a family to worry about."

Elyse widened her eyes, the memory of him telling her that burning in her mind.

She groaned, "I'm so selfish. I didn't even ask if you wanted to-"

Erwin cut her off by shaking his head, "You're not selfish, Elyse. I encouraged you to follow your heart, and I'm glad that you are. Like I said, it would be a waste for someone like you to not follow what you want. Why do you think I'm so supportive of every decision you make? Granted, I'm controlling of how it happens, but I promise to not be controlling anymore. See? I keep my promises, Elyse. You should know that by now."

Elyse smiled, widely, "You're…seriously the greatest, weirdest husband in this wrong marriage, Erwin."

Erwin cocked his head to the side and placed a hand on his chest, playfully, as if touched by her words.

"And you are the best, annoying wife in this twisted marriage, Elyse."

Elyse giggled and threw her arms around him, hugging him and laughing, her heart full now that their relationship was mended.

* * *

"What about that pretty intern on the third floor with the nice legs? She looks at you all the time." Elyse persisted as they casually sat on the couch in his office a week after they had their huge fight. She had her legs draped over his lap while Erwin read the paperwork atop of them, his eyeglasses on and his eyes focused. Elyse was busy eating the dinner she didn't get to eat since feeding three children was a job in itself.

Nifa and Dieter were pleasantly surprised when Erwin and Elyse presented them their small homes next to the estate. They protested it, saying that it should go to the guests, but Elyse was not budging and Erwin already handed them their keys and began to show them around.

Since Nifa was in her small house, Elyse made sure to give a break to the woman since Nifa would usually be around and she wouldn't let Elyse lift a finger, but now that Nifa was away most of the time, Elyse took advantage of it.

She had groused to Erwin that night about giving Nifa a pay raise after she successfully and finally managed to get all three kids dinner and asleep.

The tired parents both retired to working on the ballet school and theatre together in his office, and Elyse once again broached the subject of finding him someone suitable to…make love to.

"Elyse, leave it alone. I will find someone suitable when I want to." Erwin said, not even looking at her as he crossed something else off on the paperwork on her legs.

Elyse giggled at the tickle, and Erwin sighed, picking up the paperwork off her legs and he shoved her legs aside, which made Elyse roll her eyes.

Her eyes lit up as she remembered something, "How about the girl who works on the fifth floor with the long hair and the nice toned butt?"

Erwin sighed, "Elyse, are you choosing girls for me or for you because I don't even recognize these small details about the women in my building?"

"Hey! I'm just appreciating beauty!" Elyse said, flustered at the insinuation.

Erwin scoffed, but he kept quiet.

Elyse opened her mouth once more, but she was caught by surprise when she found Erwin's hand on her mouth and that his face was mere inches away from her.

She could see the unreadable twinkle in those blue eyes, and she was shocked with…the flirtatious smile he had on his face.

"How about you, Elyse?" He asked, his words dripping with sweetness and smoothness, "You know, we could just _fuck_ and go on about our lives when we want to. Besides, it'll work out and we don't have to have any feelings tangled in it. We're already married and we have kids, so why not? How about it, love?"

The way he said "love" should be illegal.

Elyse didn't know what to say, and she was desperate to run away from his stare and his voice and-

That's when Erwin pulled away from her and she noticed that he was shaking from _laughter._

Elyse grew red, angry and embarrassed, "That's _not_ funny."

"Well, it did shut you up." Erwin pointed out, poking at her red face. Elyse crossed her arms and she glared at him as he returned to paying attention to the paperwork. "Anyways, you really need to do Braun already, you're practically ready to be _fucked_."

"I. Hate. You." Elyse stated, really red at this point, grabbing a pillow and hitting him with it.

* * *

Elyse was thankful when Freida showed up to the auditions that she set up for the theatre.

"Wow, don't you look like the professional ballerina?" Freida complimented her friend as she entered the theatre.

Elyse smiled, thanking her friend.

"So, the production team is already hired, and so are the managers for every section of the theatre—costume, lights, etc. What I'm looking for is professional dancers who are willing to teach and perform. I know that Erwin, Levi, and you chose some already, but these are the ones that I want to stay, you know? Besides, this production will be advertisement for the new school, and I need it to go well." Elyse explained, as they both sat down. Her brother stretched, yawning, as he placed an arm around Elyse's chair.

"Hello, Freida." Levi greeted her, nonchalantly. Freida smiled, tucking a hair behind her ear, and gave him a small nod, "Hi there, hot stuff."

Elyse cringed and she swatted Freida's arm in warning while Levi simply smirked, staring at the papers in front of him.

"Okay, so the first person is…"Elyse began, and just like that, auditions began.

* * *

Elyse didn't cover her surprise when she saw the next name on the list. Levi even smiled, impressed.

"Well, Mr. Lexington, I guess you'll be auditioning for us today." Freida stated, welcoming. Elyse felt floored. She risked a glance at her brother and she stared at his profile, praying that he will _never_ find out about her secret relationship with Braun.

Her brother was adamant about her being his good sister, and if he found out that she was having an _affair_ , she could see her poor brother blaming himself for not raising her correctly and it broke her heart to see that.

She resumed her professional grace and she welcomed him, too, ignoring the knowing smile on his face when she told him to begin.

She watched him, breathlessly. Of course, he was good. He had been the dance partner she wanted since Julliard. He was the other half of her dance sometimes, and he complimented everything when they were dancing together.

Once it was done, Freida and Levi expressed that he should be taken immediately and they looked at Elyse for the final decision. Elyse took a deep breath, and she nodded, welcoming him to the company.

She didn't miss the mischief in his gracious smile when he bowed in thanks.

* * *

"You should've told me that you were going to audition. At least give me a heads up." Elyse told him later on in their secret spot.

Braun shrugged at that, "Where's the fun in that?"

Elyse sighed, but she complied, smiling at him, "You danced wonderfully. You haven't changed at all."

Braun smiled in thanks, kissing her forehead. He brought his lips closer to her own, and she kissed him back.

When they pulled away, Elyse started giggling and Braun looked at her, quizzically.

"What is it?" He asked, confused. Elyse shook her head, "Oh, it's nothing. I just thought of how Erwin said something about auditions earlier."

Braun winced at that, but he smiled, encouraging for her to continue, "What did he say?"

"He said he wouldn't be surprised if you auditioned. And it turns out he was right." Elyse said, shrugging but she was still amused as she stared at the area ahead of them.

"…You're really fond of him, huh?" Braun asked, quietly. Elyse blushed at that, but she nodded, not denying it.

"He's good to me, and he's the one who bought me the theatre. I'm so grateful for him." Elyse said, not bothering to hide her affection for the blonde man. Even if it was in front of her boyfriend.

Braun seemed to pause at that, and she looked at him when she noticed that they stopped walking.

"Elyse…where do you see this going?" Braun asked, suddenly, and Elyse looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean?" Elyse asked, urging him to continue. Braun sighed, running a hand through his hair, exasperated.

"I..I didn't want to bring it up, but lately, I've only heard about your husband and your kids since we started dating, and don't get me wrong, it's normal, but I'm not here to be your therapist for when you and your husband fight or when you want to gush about your children. I knew what I would get into when we got back together, but I also had hoped…"

"Hoped what?" Elyse asked, softly, her heart pounding.

"I hoped that…you would get a divorce." Braun finished, staring at her.

Elyse felt her heart plummet.

"D-Divorce? Braun, what?" Elyse asked, suddenly caught off-guard.

 _Divorce? From Erwin? But, my family and my kids. My father and brother. Everyone._

Of course, it made sense. Braun said he loved her, and he was willing to be in a secret relationship with her, but it didn't hit her that they wouldn't have a _future_ together. She lived in a denial bubble, and Braun let her, so did Erwin, but now it was too real to deny.

Braun was asking her to pick because he couldn't stand waiting on her anymore. It had been a year and a couple months of them together, and the time together had been wonderful only because Elyse thought she was 16 again in where she had no responsibilities and all she had was dance. That's why Braun was her escape from her chaotic world, and now her was breaking into her bubble and giving her an ultimatum.

"Ely…you need to realize that this can't go on anymore if you're not planning on leaving your husband. You obviously care about him and you both have kids to worry about. Damn, you even have a _pet_. I know…I know I carried on with the whole denial thing, but it kind of sucks hearing the girl you love and want talk about her other life like it's nothing. Plus, you still feel guilty when I touch you."

"I don't feel _guilty_ …"

Braun snorted at that, "Oh, please, Elyse. You pull away from our kisses when it starts to become something more. You don't think I've noticed?"

Elyse began to play with her hands, looking down at her feet, and she could feel the tears gathering in her eyes.

"It's not that I don't want you, Braun, really." Elyse pleaded, hoping he would understand. Braun lifted her chin up and the understanding smile he had on his face was heartbreaking.

"I know, Elyse, I know." Braun reassured her. They both stood there, unmoving.

"So what now?" Elyse asked, scared to hear the answer. Braun let go of her hesitantly, and she found her heart breaking when he backed away from her.

"I don't know, Elyse. I really want to tell you to leave him, but you have your kids to worry about, and I'm not about to take away their mother. I know you care about your husband, also. That much is very clear. But, I…I can't pretend not to be bothered by it anymore. So…maybe let's take a break, okay? Let's just see what happens." Braun offered, lamely at the end.

Elyse nodded, numbly, "Okay."

"I'll…I'll see you at the theatre. I guess." Braun offered, trying to smile but Elyse could barely smile back herself.

* * *

She went back to the estate, numb and tired.

 _Kids. Erwin. Bed._

She tried to think of her agenda as she wandered aimlessly inside, but she was caught off-guard by Erwin, who was drinking in the liquor room with her father.

"Elyse!" Her father greeted her, smiling, seemingly out of it.

 _Oh boy._

"Hello, papa." Elyse greeted, mustering up a warm smile and she hugged him, smelling the stench of bourbon and whiskey on him.

She turned to Erwin, and she noticed that he was slightly out of it, too.

 _Well, well, well._

She found herself amused when she saw Erwin, pleading with her with his eyes, and she could practically read, "Do something about your father please before I die."

Nodding her head at Erwin, she turned to her father, "Papa, why don't we help you go upstairs and you can go to sleep. Do you have a meeting to attend to? Is that why you're here?"

Her father didn't answer, instead he grabbed Elyse's face and began to wail, "You are such a good girl, Elyse. Such a good daughter to a horrible father like me."

She didn't even know where that came from, but she could feel the bitterness panging in her heart, reminding her that Braun had left her and if her father had just let her be with him, then maybe she would be with Braun now. She wouldn't have rebelled, and then her life would be what she always planned it to be. Braun and her could've taken the world by storm with their dancing, and she'd be living in Paris, just like she was now, and maybe…

But she thought of her kids. Her precious kids. And then, Erwin. She wouldn't have got to know him if it were any other circumstance. He would've just been known as her brother's friend, and they wouldn't have known each other the way they did now.

Which life would she pick if she was given a choice?

She couldn't think more of it because her father just threw up on the floor.

* * *

With Erwin's help, Elyse managed to heave her father up the stairs and on to the guest bed that was always prepared for him since Nifa and Dieter had their own houses.

She closed the door, and she turned to Erwin, who still looked dazed. She smiled, half-heartedly.

"Are you tipsy?" She asked, softly. Erwin shook his head, but the far-off gaze was still there.

Elyse sighed, "Well, since father's here, we have to sleep in the same room, so come on." She grabbed Erwin's hand and she didn't miss it when he squeezed it tightly, as if scared she was going to let go.

Once they entered his room, Elyse sat him down and she bent down to meet his gaze, "Erwin, I'm going to undress you now so you can go to sleep, okay?"

Erwin nodded, slowly, and he sighed as he massaged his temples, "I'm sorry, Elyse. I didn't know I was going to be this lightweight. I had refrained from drinking because of the children, but I guess that backfired."

Elyse laughed, "There's no need for an apology, Erwin. I know how much my father can drink."

She began to help him out of his clothes without blushing because, to be honest, she was still a little out of it because of the Braun situation. Erwin seemed to notice this, too, and he stopped her from unbuttoning his shirt any further.

"What's wrong, Elyse? Did something happen?" Erwin asked, concerned.

Elyse bit her lip, noticing that the concern in Erwin's voice was prompting her to cry, and she shook her head.

But, Erwin wouldn't have any of it. He grabbed her hands away from his shirt and held them, "Talk to me, Elyse."

Instead of talking, Elyse began to sob, incoherently, and Erwin wrapped his arms around her, helping her sit on his lap so he could hold her closely.

She felt safe and warm, and it calmed her even though he smelled like cigars and whiskey. It was a welcoming smell mixed with his usual expensive cologne. It was Erwin, her friend and partner.

Once she calmed down, Erwin tilted her chin up, so she could look at him.

"He…broke it off. Said that we needed to figure out if we have a future or not." Elyse finally said, managing to not break into another sob.

Erwin regarded her for a moment before nodding, understanding.

For a moment, he held her and Elyse let him. With a sigh, Elyse got up and she moved to help Erwin undress, and he tried to stop her, but she slapped his hand away.

"Let me distract myself with your annoyingly perfect body, will you?" Elyse managed to tease, but she noticed that Erwin's gaze darkened instead of lightened. Yet, he didn't stop her.

Elyse managed to help him take his pants off and then his shirt. But, she noticed that she touched a rough part of his body and tried to press on it until Erwin stopped her, by grabbing her hand.

She managed to see what she touched though and she gasped when she saw his back.

It had scars and burn. Multiple lines going in random directions, angry and harsh.

 _Oh, Erwin. You and I both have scars. Mine, emotionally. Yours, physically._

"Erwin…" Elyse muttered, her heart breaking with the understanding of what she just saw. She fought his hard grip and she managed to since he was tipsy, and she started to caress his scars, her sobs breaking at each new pattern that she would trace.

"Elyse, enough." Erwin said, his voice strained, and Elyse looked up at his face and she knew that the darkening of his face meant.

He looked at her, his gaze boring into her, and she knew that he was vulnerable.

But, so was she.

She was tired, so tired, and she just wanted to lose herself for just one moment. She was tired of being denied and being rejected. She was tired of not getting what she wanted. She was tired of every damn upsetting thing in her life at that moment.

She brought her face closer to him, and she placed her hands on his bare chest, noticing that it was rising up and down as he breathed deeply, his eyes wary of her, but his gaze never losing its intensity.

"Did you mean it, Erwin?" She asked, her lips ghosting on his, ready to lose herself with him.

"Mean what?" Erwin asked, his voice soft and tender compared to the gaze he was showering her with.

"That we could have no attachments right after. That we could be vulnerable and lose ourselves to each other. That we can pretend for just a moment then return back to normal." Elyse reminded him, her lips already brushing against his.

"Elyse." Erwin warned her with her name, but she couldn't deny the way he said her name was so intoxicating in her vulnerable state.

"That we could _fuck_." Elyse finally stated, ignoring his warning, and with that, she crushed her lips against his.

* * *

A:N/ I'm off to vacation after writing this lengthy chapter. I promised no cliffhanger, but then again, where's the fun in that? xx


	17. Chapter 17

A:N/ I'm back!

I own nothing. Except the ever-confusing Elyse.

* * *

Kissing Erwin had always been a rollercoaster for Elyse. He claimed her with his hands and his caresses that one night, and sometimes, if she was being honest with herself, she would compare how Erwin was that night to how Braun was with her for almost a year. Braun was gentle and soft, and she loved being in his arms. With Erwin, it was demanding yet controlled, and it kept her at the edge of her seat.

This time, it was the edge of his lap.

She was the one who started their kiss, and she had melted when Erwin's _growl_ sounded after a moment of his hesitancy. His hands were immediately on her back or was it her butt—wait, they were in her hair now. He held her so closely to him, his experienced mouth on hers, taking over her hard kiss, and she found herself willing for him to teach her, to _control_ her.

She moaned in their kiss, and it encouraged Erwin, as he left her lips to place teasing kisses in the crook of her neck and they were tracing a delicious pattern down the column of her neck.

 _Yes, make me forget. Make me forget about all the regret in my life._

She craved the headiness of how he had the ability to make her forget about _everything_. Braun may have made her forget the moments, but Erwin truly blinded her when they had conceived their now three-year old baby boy.

But, that's when she saw Braun's face in her mind, and she gasped.

 _No._

Determined to push Braun away from her mind, she grabbed Erwin's face, caressing those beautiful sharp features on his face, and she bit her lip when she saw his blue-eyed gaze, half-lidded, filled with raw desire.

 _Yes._

She claimed his lips once more, and he let her take control, but his hands were already starting to make work of her long legs that wrapped around him, and he groaned, deliciously in her mouth, when she involuntarily grinded against him.

Her hands traveled from his face to his bare chest, her fingers appreciating the muscle that she felt beneath. She smiled, and Erwin bit her bottom lip in warning, and Elyse truly grinded against his strong thighs that time.

Her hands were about to complete their travel once she would reach his pants, but, in a flash, she was suddenly pushed away by Erwin's hands grabbing her own as he broke their kiss.

She opened her eyes, shocked from being ripped away from all the pleasantry she was feeling. A heaving chest is what greeted Elyse, as she noticed that Erwin was breathing deeply, but somehow, his face was controlled, the desirous gaze now gone and replaced with a stoic chagrin.

A whine interrupted from her throat, but Erwin pushed her off his lap, gently, and Elyse is forced to sit on the bed as he stands up and begins to pace the floor, slowly. The hands that were just on her were placed on his mouth and another behind his back as he lost himself in his pacing of their shared room for the night.

Elyse was starting to feel the flustered feeling of embarrassment of what just happened and the regret was starting to bubble from beneath her broken soul that also reminded her that Braun was gone.

She immediately feels stupid, then angry, then frustrated, and simply numb.

She noticed that Erwin finally came to a stop and he held her widened gaze with his own controlled one.

It was if they weren't intimate the moment before.

He bent down in front of her, studying her, and suddenly, Elyse felt she was naked, emotionally, rather than physically like she wanted to be at that very moment.

He sighed, deeply, and he closed his eyes for just a moment as if to regain his bearings and then he opened them, pinning her with a gaze that suddenly made her remember what just happened.

The numbness took control over her then, tired of feeling ashamed or embarrassed or any emotion, really.

"That wasn't smart, Elyse. I'm not sober. And you're obviously heartbroken." Erwin began.

Elyse shrugged, rolling her eyes, feeling nothing at his scolding. "So? That's how we got here in the first place. Except I was the one who was drunk." Elyse retorted, emotionless.

Erwin's stare turned wary and a bit confused, and Elyse felt slight satisfaction at confusing this all-knowing man in front of her.

 _I don't care, Erwin. Just let me not care for once in my damn life._

"Elyse, you're not okay right now and I need you to think about what you're doing right now."

That was her breaking point. Elyse stood up, angrily, and pushed Erwin away from her, but the solid man was still there, not even budging.

"I'm _tired_ of thinking, okay? Everything about my life has been based on _thinking_. Everything is better unexpected, right? _No_ , because, somehow, my life is still fucked up and I can't have anything that I want. God, I just…I just want a life that I want, but I don't. And now, I don't want to _think_ about consequences of what will happen in the future. All I want right now is to _fuck_ and forget and I can't even have that." Elyse ranted, her tone bitter and her laugh void of any emotion.

Erwin, much to his favor, didn't say anything for a moment as Elyse breathed, in and out, trying to calm herself down.

He looked up at her and then he stood up, slowly. He approached her and Elyse stood there, standing her ground. He held up a hand to her face, gently, and his thumb touched her bottom lip, tenderly, and Elyse realized that her bottom lip was swollen from earlier. The rest of his hand cupped her cheek, and Elyse welcomed the warmth, hesitantly.

"So, you're saying that calm herself down.

He looked up at her and then he stood up, slowly. He approached her and Elyse stood there, standing her ground. He held up a hand to her face, gently, and his thumb touched her bottom lip, tenderly, and Elyse realized that her bottom lip was swollen from earlier. The rest of his hand cupped her cheek, and Elyse welcomed the warmth, hesitantly.

"So, you're saying that, _you_ , the most compassionate and emotional person I know, can have meaningless sex right here and now? That the moment you wake up tomorrow morning and realize what happened, that you would just go on your merry way?" Erwin asked, softly, studying her.

Elyse closed her eyes, the words hitting her broken heart harder that she thought it would. He was right. Of course, he was right. That's how it had been with Braun. After every kiss, after every moment that he made her forget, she felt even more guilty each and every time when she saw her father or Levi. She felt horrible when she played with her kids and that they didn't even know about Braun.

All they knew was that Erwin was their father.

Erwin, for all the messed up things that took the cake, knew about it and he even approved it, but even Elyse still felt horrible because he didn't have anyone for himself and there she was, gallivanting with Braun.

And if she was being honest with herself, she felt relieved when Braun broke it off with her because of the guilt.

Just like back when she was sixteen-years old, saying goodbye to him.

Elyse opened her eyes and noticed that Erwin's hardened face had softened and his lips were upturned in a reassuring smile, "See? You know you're not that person, Elyse."

Elyse looked down, even with Erwin's hand still on her face, gently caressing her cheek, and she knew that Erwin could now feel the tears that were falling down even if he couldn't see them.

She grabbed the hand and squeezed, now looking at her hand gripping at his large one, trying to control the dam of emotions she had been containing within herself.

"Why can't I be? I'm _so_ exhausted of being this type of person. I've never once thought of myself and that's not normal. Everyone has a right to be selfish once in their life, but the moment I try to be, it's not _right_. Nothing is right for me. I'm so tired of being…weak." Elyse admitted, the tears now overflowing as she let all her heartbreak show.

She was angry that she couldn't be with Braun. She was relieved that she didn't have that burned anymore. She was sad that she couldn't have what she wanted. She was...

"Elyse." Erwin's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she was forced to look up as he got out of her grip and placed his hand back to her face so he could force her to look up at him.

"Listen to me very carefully. _You_ are not weak. You think being selfish is a strong trait? It's a person's downfall. Trust me, I know from experience. You put others before yourself, and that is the most courageous trait I've come to appreciate about you. I've never lied to you before, so believe my words, Elyse." Erwin stated, strongly.

Elyse simply nodded, and she didn't even know at what. She just wanted her tears to stop, so she stepped away from him, and Erwin dropped his hand, politely waiting for her.

They took a moment of silence as they stood there.

A thought crossed over in her mind and Elyse raised an eyebrow at him and Erwin waited.

"You _did_ lie about Isabelle." Elyse pointed out, breaking the tension.

Erwin chuckled, and Elyse welcomed the deep sound.

"I didn't lie. I never replied to your insinuations." Erwin argued back.

Elyse walked up to him, hesitantly, pushing his shoulder, a bit annoyed. Erwin laughed and brushed her wet cheeks, carefully.

The tense moment between them was shifting to a calm atmosphere, but Elyse sighed and bit her lip, realizing that she forgot to talk about one thing that got them here in the first place.

"I'm…I'm sorry for trying to take advantage of you." She apologized.

Erwin smiled at her, playfully, "I'm not. That was one hell of a kiss."

And just like that, everything seemed to return to normal.

* * *

They slept on the same bed after, but Elyse noticed that Erwin put more space than usual between them and she didn't blame him.

If you almost had sex with someone that sleeps next to you for the night, then you need to put that space.

She noticed that he was gone the moment she woke up, and she had woken up to a note crinkled beneath her cheek.

 _Had to leave for work with your father early. Dropping him off at the airport, so I'll have dinner at the office with him. –Erwin_

Elyse felt the heavy guilt of what happened and what almost happened last night hit her and she cursed Erwin for being such a…such a…good husband and father and a very _irritating_ man.

Dragging her sorry behind from the bed, she got up to get ready for the day, placing his note on one of the bedside tables.

She had to be at the theatre today to start looking for a lead ballerina for the upcoming production that they were planning out of the company that she had hired. Freida and Levi were going to be there early too, so she was excited to have them with her as she makes a major decision.

Once she was ready, she went to check up on the children and she noticed that they were already up and jumping on their beds, as Nifa tried to beg them to settle down. The kids saw her immediately, and they ran up to her, trying to climb up her legs as they chattered incessantly about…how monkeys fly?

Elyse smiled and laughed as she bent down to their level to kiss them and playfully bite their cheeks. Eren was already trying to climb up her shoulders and Armin was pulling at her arm while Mikasa softly placed her hands on her cheeks so she can greet her a happy morning.

Embracing the chaos, Elyse nodded at Nifa, which was their signal for Nifa to get breakfast ready.

Once Nifa left to get that done, Elyse got up, heaving Eren up in her arms and Armin, too. Mikasa was just happy to hold her mother's dress as she giggled when Elyse began to complain.

"How your father can carry you both is beyond me." Elyse moaned as Eren clapped his hands on her cheek, excitedly.

"Papa is strong." Armin said, seriously, and Elyse could just squish his face for being so cute.

Elyse nodded, "Yes, he is, baby. Okay, let's all go downstairs and have breakfast, okay?"

The sound of her children's glee would never get old.

* * *

She arrived at the theatre earlier than everyone else. And she checked the time for the first time that day since she was in a rush to get ready and make sure the kids ate, and she laughed at how she didn't realize that she was an hour early. Dieter told her that he would be around, securing the building, and she had rolled her eyes at that but she thanked him for doing his job.

She inhaled deeply, still not over the smell of the rustic building. Her hands grazed each top of the wooden embellished handles of the chairs that were next to the aisle. Approaching the stage, she climbed up the stairs and began to walk across the stage, slowly. She realized that she had her pointe shoes in her bag and the small speaker that she had for the auditions. Her phone was also on her…

A smile broke on her face as she began to get ready for an impromptu dance number.

She hadn't had the chance to dance on the stage, professionally, and she was about to take the chance, too.

She turned on one of her favorites, "Song of The Caged Bird," by the violinist, Lindsey Stirling. It was a song that had been close to her dancing career back in Julliard when she found out about it. It was the song that epitomized her life at the time.

And this time, it related more to her life than ever.

She relaxed and did her stretches with her pointe shoes as she listened to the music. Once she felt that she was warmed up, she began to dance and that's when she lost herself in her favorite art.

It all made sense when she danced. Her chaotic, unexpected life was in the back of her mind as she embraced the only thing that hasn't let her down yet.

When the music ended, Elyse took a deep breath and bowed just as she would whenever she ended a performance.

The sound of echoing applause sounded and she looked out at where the seats were, shocked and confused.

That's when she made out the figure of her brother in the middle of the orchestra seating.

"You still dance beautifully, Elyse." Levi said, as Elyse jumped down the stage to run and embrace him, giggling.

Elyse relaxed in her hug with her brother. She realized that throughout her their sudden busy schedules that she hadn't had the time to truly sit and talk with her brother, and she missed him. He was her best friend and her mentor in everything she did.

Unbeknownst to the world even their father, her brother was actually exceptional in the arts of singing and dancing. Their aunt was the one who also knew, but now that she's resting in peace, Elyse is the one who guarded her brother's memory of his artful talent.

Levi didn't want anyone to know. Their mother was the one thing that inspired him to go after his talent, but after what had happened all those years ago, Elyse can't remember the last time he danced or sang.

"You're the one who taught me." Elyse replied, her heart sinking at the memories that hit her.

The siblings sat in the second row of the orchestra seating waiting for everyone to arrive. Elyse, with her head on her brother's shoulder, listened as her brother talked about their father and how he was doing.

Curiosity pricked at her ever since the announcement that Levi would take over her father's company in New York.

"Do you want to explain the miracle of you and papa or am I never going to find out?" Elyse asked once he finished talking.

Levi didn't speak for a moment, and Elyse patiently waited. She knew that it always had been tough with her father and brother. They barely got along since she was born, and she knew that for a fact because the first memory she ever had was her brother and father arguing over…her.

Elyse grew up, trying to fix whatever happened between her brother and father, and much to her disappointment, they only got along whenever she was there.

It _had_ been a shock when her father finally announced that her brother was going to take over, but it was such an agonizing process of them finally begrudgingly agreeing on one major thing. Elyse wouldn't be surprised if they were still at each other's throats.

"Father…has changed somewhat. He's more open to new ideas and he's been more open to the fact that I'm never going to be like him. We agreed on the interim part of me taking over, but I believe he's trying to change that into forever at this point." Levi finally said, explaining his side.

"Changed?" Elyse asked, thinking back to where it all started and until now, "In what way?"

Levi scoffed, "You really don't see it, Ely? Father is _openly_ playing with your kids. He _let_ Mikasa place a flower crown on his head the last time we were at your estate. Sometimes, I think he's really lost it."

Elyse laughed, softly, at the memory of her daughter placing a crown on her father's head.

"I guess." Elyse finally said.

Elyse could feel Levi shake his head, "You don't see it because you always try to see the good in people even if they do you wrong. Like, I don't know, trying to marry you off to an old fart."

"Father has been through more than most in his lifetime. I owe him everything." Elyse said, not even bothering to laugh at her brother's joke.

Levi stayed silent, but she knew her brother well enough to know that he couldn't argue with what she said, but that didn't mean he'd be readily agreeing with her anytime soon.

"Remember when you would play the violin or the piano and I'd just dance across the stage with auntie watching?" Elyse asked, willing to change the subject to happier topics.

Her brother hummed, pleasantly, at the memory, "The good old days."

"Now, you're a wife and a mother, owning the very theatre that has been a part of our family." Levi continued, sighing.

"And you're finally in father's good graces and about to take over his company." Elyse pointed out, smiling once her brother groaned.

"Paris really does change people." Her brother groused.

Elyse linked an arm with her brother's and buried her head in his shoulder to muffle her laughter.

* * *

"Yeah, no. You suck. Next!"

Elyse winced as Freida, yet again, dismissed another ballerina, who looked a bit miffed at Freida's lack of tact. Elyse smiled apologetically at the ballerina, but the damage was done.

"Freida, tread carefully." Elyse whispered once again, and Freida simply smiled and shrugged.

Elyse sighed, and she shuffled the papers with a groan, "That was the last one! Plus, I thought she did an amazing job." Elyse argued, shooting glares at both the judges.

She thought having Freida and Levi as judges would make the job easier, but she seemed to forget that her brother was an annoying perfectionist with technicality and Freida was always one for something that "spoke to her". It was like having two of the worst people to compromise with.

"Oh, please, Elyse. That ballerina didn't know how to properly pirouette, gracefully." Freida stated, brushing off Elyse's complaint.

Levi grunted in agreement, "Besides, it's obvious who should take the lead role in the production."

Elyse looked at them, mystified, "Do we have a secret ballerina or something that I don't know about because, like I said, that was _all_ of them."

Levi and Freida shared a look that Elyse knew was one of secrecy and it dawned on her immediately.

"Oh, no, no, no. _That_ is not happening." Elyse immediately said, standing up to end the conversation as she moved to the stage to start cleaning up the papers and speakers all over.

"Ely, come on. What better ballerina than you? You know that you want someone who is passionate about the part and dance, and you're _basically_ that person." Freida's voice drifted to the stage and Elyse scoffed in response.

"She's right, Elyse. Enough of the humble attitude, the majority rules that _you_ will be the lead with Braun." Her brother agreed.

That made her freeze.

"Levi…that's not…" Elyse found herself trailing off, as she stood up and stared at her brother, dazed.

"That's not?" Levi prompted, trying to read her expression from far off. Elyse was glad that there was space because he would've seen the devastation clear on her face.

"That's not nice. It's good to stay humble." Elyse said, cleverly hiding what she was about to stay.

"Seriously, Elyse being humble is her very being." Freida sighed, changing the subject completely as Levi scoffed at them.

Elyse cleaned the stage even though her mind was in a disarray.

* * *

Levi treated her out to dinner and Dieter was great at protecting them from the press. Once seated, Levi grunted, annoyed.

"I forgot that you and Erwin were always constantly being followed by the press." Levi said, shaking his head, while grabbing the offered menu from their formal waiter.

Elyse sighed and quickly apologized for her brother's behavior and thanked their waiter for the menus before turning to her brother, "Yes, for some odd reason, it's a thing."

It was Levi's turn to be surprised. "You don't know why the press is following you and Erwin?"

Elyse shrugged, "I got it the first time. 16-year-old heiress marries 26-year-old businessman and has a kid on the way, but, wait, two more kids, is a headline, but it's been 3 years. Maybe—"

"Erwin was more than businessman, Elyse. You _do_ know that, right? Or is the man that annoyingly quiet to this day?" Levi stated, sighing.

Elyse raised an eyebrow at her brother, "I mean, I get that he was in the Army and that he was in a special unit from what you told me."

Levi closed his eyes, shaking his head, "Elyse…Erwin was somebody all over Europe before he was in the Army. He was a director and a model."

Elyse didn't know how to react. All other conflicting thoughts about Braun and the theatre all gone from her mind.

"Wait, what?" Elyse asked, dumbly.

"He was well-known when he was younger, but all of a sudden, he decided to go to New York to pursue a military education. He's an American-German citizen. Please tell me you know that, at least."

Elyse shook her head, slowly, still trying to process what her brother was telling her.

Levi looked like he was about to bang somebody's head on the table, maybe his own head.

"That damn man needs to stop walking around like a fucking ghost in your house. I told him to talk to you about the press and how your lives would change especially your children's, but the man is insistent in doing things his own way. Probably thought it was best for you to stay in the dark, but that's still unfair." Levi hissed, as the waiter, who was very much wary of Levi at this point, placed their drinks on the table.

"Would you like to order, sir, ma'am?" The waiter asked, politely. Elyse was in too much of a shocked and confused state that she didn't realize the waiter's question.

Levi ordered for them, hastily, and he watched Elyse, warily, as she stared at their table with wide eyes.

"He was a director and a model? How did I not know this?" Elyse asked, bewildered.

"He had a stage name of some sort. Besides, he only did small indie films in Europe and he modeled in the background—"

"Oh my God, he directed that movie. The movie that I have watched over 50 times. The movie that inspired me to go to Julliard." Elyse interrupted her brother, her thoughts coming to an abrupt halt.

Levi sighed, and he began, hesitantly, "Yeah, that's how I even recognized him in the beginning when we were in the Army together. That's how I introduced you too. I told him that 'my sister is obsessed with your movie and she's in Julliard because of it.'"

"I seriously am married to the man who directed the movie that motivated me to follow my dream and yet the moment he appears in my life, that dream is gone and we have kids and…the irony of all of this is…am I breathing or…?"

"Elyse, stop being dramatic. You and I both know that Erwin is a man of few words and he doesn't like to share details about himself." Levi said, giving their waiter a sharp nod when the food arrived.

Elyse didn't respond, but she thanked the waiter. When the waiter left, Elyse looked at her brother, who looked back expectedly.

"But, he knows more of me than I know of him. How is that fair?" Elyse asked, seriously, losing her appetite very quickly.

It scared her even more when her brother didn't say anything back.

* * *

Elyse was dropped off by her brother and she thanked him, softly, before she could close the door, Levi stopped her.

"Ely…Don't be so hasty when you confront Erwin. That man may have things he hasn't told you that aren't really that big of a deal, but he hides the majority of his life for good reason. Just try and respect that." Her brother said.

Elyse nodded, but she stood her ground, "He'll have to respect that he's with a woman who deserves to know a bit more than the world does."

Levi sighed, but he nodded and wished her a goodnight.

Dieter and her usual driver were in a car behind them and she wished them a goodnight before entering her house.

She saw Erwin reading in the living room in front of the fireplace. Eyeglasses perched on his nose while his dress shirt was a mess, he looked every bit comfortable as he scanned the papers in front of him.

Maus, the precious cat, was sleeping right next to Erwin, much to Elyse's annoyance. The cat was not helping her angry situation at the moment.

"The kids are asleep. It's a good thing your brother told me that you were at dinner with him. I was about to send a search party out for you." Erwin stated, jokingly, as she walked in. Maus woke up, and he meowed, happily, as he hopped down to brush himself against Elyse's legs.

She simply stared at him, the revelation of him still surprising her.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were a director or a model? The press has been hounding us for years now, Erwin." Elyse asked, forgetting to try and be graceful about it.

She was in too much of a shock to try and think about how to confront him about it.

Erwin blinked, once, and then he sighed, taking off his glasses.

"So, your brother told you?" Erwin asked, casually, getting up to place his papers on the coffee table.

Elyse walked up to him, sitting herself down on the other chair next to the couch, "I had mentioned that I was at a lost at why the press was still following us, and my brother stated that you had a past before the Army, which by the way, I also found out by your trophies and such. Oh, and also, _from my brother_. My brother knows more about you than me."

Erwin sighed, sitting back down, leaning forward so he can pay attention to her, "Elyse, I decided it was best for you to just let you live your life, casually, rather than be worried about the press and other things. We have children that you prioritize as much as I do. You don't need to worry about a husband who can take care of himself."

"That's still not fair, Erwin. You already know more about me than I do you. I want to at least know the simple things like…how about this? I ask you a couple of general questions and you have to answer them." Elyse said, clapping her hands as an idea popped in her head.

She had been annoyed at Erwin for the most part, but it bothered her that she absolutely knew nothing about Erwin, not even his favorite food or music.

"Elyse—"

"Favorite color?" Elyse asked, interrupting him.

"Elyse, enough." Erwin stated, sighing, his eyes holding a seriousness in them that silenced her.

"It's a simple question, Erwin. I'm not going to suddenly harass you with painting the walls your favorite color." Elyse argued back, the annoyance returning to her.

"I like my life private, Elyse. You should know that by now. I'm sorry that bothers you, but that's just who I am. I try to make up for it by doing as much as I can for you." Erwin said, getting up and Elyse knew that was his way of saying that their conversation is over and that he will be retiring.

"I've been respecting that, Erwin, but I'm serious, telling me your favorite color isn't going to be the end of the world. Just give me that, at least." Elyse said, getting up too, tired and overwhelmed by Erwin's puzzling personality.

Erwin turned his back towards her, and he began to climb up the stair, much to Elyse's dismay.

She sighed and looked down, cleaning up the coffee table.

"Blue."

Elyse looked up, surprised, and she found Erwin starting at her, a small smile on his lips. With that said, Erwin went back up the stairs, leaving Elyse with a small smile of her own as she shook her head.

Maus, who was quietly cleaning himself as he observed them, jumped on the coffee table and Elyse began to scratch along his back and under his chin, "At least you're not a mystery, Maus."

* * *

Practice was going to start today in the theatre. Elyse braced herself for seeing Braun today since it would be the first day to see him since they had broken up.

It didn't help that they were going to be dancing together from now on.

She knew that Freida had informed him through a phone call, but she had left the room so she wouldn't even hear how that went down.

Braun came into the theatre and she had looked down at first, not wanting to meet his eyes. She was surprised and sad that he didn't even bother to look at her as he went to greet other fellow cast and crew. Freida, thankfully, distracted her long enough when Freida managed to find out that there was food in the back for later.

Her brother was going to come today and Elyse was going to talk to him about directing it, but Levi had mentioned that he already had someone up for the job, much to Elyse's surprise.

She waited, along with the other cast and crew, for her brother to come in to announce the new director.

She was thankful when her brother came in, but she held back a long-suffering groan when she noticed the commanding presence of the man behind him.

 _Of course, he's the one that is going to be directing. Levi did drop that bomb of him being a director yesterday. Oh my God, they were totally in on it together. I'm going to punch them, I swear. Punch their little—_

"Ely." Her brother greeted her as he came closer. Elyse smiled, still appreciating the fact that her brother was here, but she shot the smiling man behind them a warning look.

"So, are you sure there's no connection between now and telling me that my husband was a director?" Elyse whispered in her brother's ear, and Levi scoffed in response.

"You know he's good, Ely. He directed your favorite movie, did he not?" Levi asked, amused.

Elyse sighed, but once she let go of her brother, she pasted an affectionate smile on her face, knowing fully well that everyone was watching in awe of the couple in front of them. She wasn't worried about it leaking to the press. Levi was the one who made sure that everyone had signed the paperwork of privacy with some serious consequences if they dared to leak anything about the theatre.

She wasn't the only one who was surprised.

"No fucking way. Erwin, you're going to direct this? When were you a director?" Freida's voice asked, loudly, as she ran to embrace the tall man.

Erwin chuckled and he hugged the woman back, warmly. Elyse noticed though that he only used one arm to hug her, as if he was hiding something behind him.

"I used to dabble here and there." Erwin answered back. And it took all of Elyse's willpower to not throw the coffeemaker that she happened to be standing next to at him.

"You're being modest, Erwin." Levi sighed, waving his hand at Erwin.

Freida let go of Erwin and she bounced back to Elyse, smiling, "Did you know that he would be the director?"

"No, I didn't. What a surprise, sweetie." Elyse said, trying to act like she was more surprised rather than annoyed at the secrecy.

She walked up to him to greet him with a kiss on the cheek, and she could feel _everyone's_ eyes on them. She could also hear all of them whispering, some were surprising and some were eye-rolling worthy.

"He's the one that directed that one movie about the ballerina and how she rose to the top."

"No way, I didn't know that she was married to _him_."

"Maybe this is going to be a movie, too."

"Holy shit, he's so…yummy. Freida wasn't lying."

"They look so good together. How is this even possible?"

Erwin brought his arm out, the one he was hiding behind him, and Elyse gasped in surprise. A pleasant one compared to the annoyed ones that she had been expressing moments earlier.

In his hand, there was a beautiful floral arrangement of white roses that Elyse had always brought into their estate more than once for the living room.

The collective sighs of the women and men around her made Elyse blush, but Erwin simply bent down to whisper in her ear as she gingerly held on to the bouquet.

"He's looking."

Elyse was a bit confused at that, but as if on cue, through her peripheral vision, she saw Braun, staring at them, his eyes wide and she didn't know what emotion was on his face, but she felt a cold feeling of satisfaction when she noticed that his jaw was clenched.

 _Elyse, don't think like that. He broke it off because…because you're married to someone who isn't him and that you have kids with someone that isn't him._

But, Elyse, for some odd reason, still felt happy at the stricken face of Braun as he stared at them.

She realized that a sick, twisted part of her wanted to get back at him for raising her hopes once more. She had been sixteen and he had left her, and she had accepted it, but he had come back, offering her hope, and she knew some of it was also her fault. But, he didn't have any right to strum on that hope as much as he did.

 _If he hadn't tried to woo me off my feet when he knew that I was taken and had a family, then I wouldn't be so heartbroken. That's right, Braun. I'm not sitting around, sulking. I have a family and life that you thought you could take me away from._

She looked up at Erwin, who was still playing the affectionate husband, his arm wrapped around her waist, possessively, and his other arm, motioning towards the cast and crew as he greeted them.

He looked down at her, the mischief in his eyes gleaming, and she was suddenly thankful about her husband's concealed personality.

Because, now, at least she knew that even if she was wrong or in the wrong, he was always going to be on her side.

* * *

The ballerinas were having trouble hiding the excitement and glee at the fact that Erwin Smith was going to be directing their production. They even thanked Levi, in front of Elyse, for choosing him.

Elyse, playfully, shooed the ballerinas away, and the ballerinas knew they had a kind prima donna, so they playfully winked at her as they ran to Erwin, who had called for them.

Elyse studied the way Erwin directed and she was pleasantly surprised at how well he was doing. The cast and crew respected the man because of his past work, but they appreciated him even more since Erwin already knew their names, personally.

"Now, if I can have Braun and Elyse here." Erwin suddenly called, and Elyse steeled herself as she obeyed.

Braun seemed to be fine and he nodded his head as Erwin talked to him and directed him on the stage. Levi was also next to Erwin, helping him with the ballet aspect of it all.

"Elyse, come here." Erwin said, motioning for her, and Elyse readied herself, but instead of being in Braun's arms, she noticed that she in Erwin's.

"You will pick up Elyse here, Braun. The whole point of this dance number is that she is trying to run away from you, but you're trying your very best to keep her with you because you love her. You are _desperate_ for her. That emotion should be in the dance, okay?" Erwin said, demonstrating the movements.

Elyse could feel Erwin's hands roving around her, and she grew flustered.

She knew what Erwin was trying to do since he made it pretty clear that he was on Elyse's side.

She could see Erwin's thoughts right then and there: _You hurt someone precious to me. I will hurt you back._

She could see Braun clenching his jaw as he listened to Erwin and watched Erwin demonstrate.

Levi was raising an eyebrow, but he didn't seem to question it since Erwin knew what he was doing.

Freida, on the other hand, was having a field day as she whispered with the other ballerinas after winking at Elyse.

"I got it." Braun finally said, as everyone watched Erwin being a little more than touchy with Elyse.

Erwin stopped and turned his attention back to Braun, "Do you?"

Elyse could hear the insinuation in that question and she closed her eyes, hoping she could disappear from this stage at that very moment.

Braun walked up to them, and Erwin let go of Elyse, backing up so Braun could take over the dance number. But Braun's eyes didn't leave Erwin's as he said, "I do."

Before she knew it, she was swept up into the dance number as her brother played the music.

She also didn't miss it when Erwin smiled at her with a wink.

* * *

"I would thank you, but you're the reason why Braun was a little rough with the dance." Elyse mumbled, massaging her feet, trying her best not wake the sleeping Mikasa on her shoulder.

Erwin and her got back to the house, and their kids were finally settling down on their parent's laps and shoulders as their parents sat on their three conjoined beds. The kids had wreaked havoc once more with Nifa, and Elyse scolded them, with Erwin staring at them, reprimanding.

They apologized to Nifa, and Nifa had retired to her small house. The kids began to excitedly tell their parents about their day, but in the middle of it, they had fallen asleep on them, leaving Erwin and Elyse sitting next to each other, caressing their kids' heads.

"The man deserved it. He broke it off with you, leading to you and I almost having a fourth child." Erwin said, solemnly.

Elyse laughed at that, "Oh, the horror."

Erwin was caressing Eren's head as he pulled Armin's thumb out of Armin's mouth when he sighed, "I'm sorry that I'm directing your production, Elyse. I know I promised to stay out of it, but Levi _threatened_ me with telling your father that I was being a bad husband to you."

Elyse couldn't help but giggle at that, her whole body shaking as she tried her best not to explode into laughter.

Once she was settled, she shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I've accepted that you will continue to keep surprising me even if it annoys me."

Erwin smiled at her, and Elyse placed her head on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead, softly.

"You accept that I'm a private person?" He asked, amused.

"No, I begrudgingly am going to put up with it. I'll find a way to find out more about you." Elyse yawned, loudly, closing her eyes.

All she remembered next was closing her eyes and falling fast asleep to Erwin's chuckle.

* * *

Practice wasn't as bad anymore since Erwin was directing. Elyse had appreciated his mischief when it came to Braun, but she noticed that her husband was getting a sick twist of happiness whenever he messed with the man.

Elyse rolled her eyes at Erwin, but he winked at her in response all the time.

"Don't be too hard, Erwin." Elyse warned, softly.

"I'm not. I'm simply teaching him a lesson." Erwin said, shrugging as he placed his hands on her waist, making it look like they were kissing until Braun walked in on them.

It had been happening a lot and Elyse didn't know whether she was amused or not, but sometimes, she truly missed Braun when he smiled at her or when they had laughed at a mishap they did during practice.

Once again, Braun was slowly easing himself in her mind again. She told Erwin this, and Erwin had sighed, "Guess I'll be nice then, so he can ease back into your life if you want."

She had teased Erwin when she realized he was upset that he wouldn't be able to be mischievous anymore. Yet, she noticed that Erwin was holding back something from her when she had teased him.

Braun was getting more…friendly again. Elyse found herself craving it once more, but she was still hesitant.

But, that all disappeared when Braun had held on to Elyse a little bit longer than usual. Erwin stopped them, and he walked on the stage, commanding everyone's presence.

"You are doing it wrong, Braun." Erwin stated, and Elyse froze at the tone of Erwin's voice.

"He's fine, Erwin." Levi stated, a bit surprised at the sudden disruption. But, Erwin didn't budge.

He grabbed Elyse's hand and she noticed that his gaze was filled with…

He shook his head, letting her go, and Braun, surprised, found himself holding a stumbling Elyse as Erwin walked off the stage.

"Okay, 20-minute break." Erwin announced, and before she knew it, he disappeared into the office behind the stage.

Elyse, hesitantly, knocked on Erwin's office door. When she heard a muffled "come in", she walked inside and closed the door behind her.

She paused when she saw that Erwin was smoking a cigar _and_ drinking whiskey.

"Is there something wrong?" Elyse asked, concerned. Erwin shook his head, and he continued to smoke and drink.

"Is there something you need, Elyse?" Erwin asked, still staring off into a distance.

"…Erwin, come on. Now is not the time to be secretive with me. Does it have to do with the company or the theatre?" Elyse asked, walking up to him.

"Elyse, go back outside and don't come any closer. I'm fine. Just let me be." Erwin stated, nonchalantly, and Elyse shivered at the slight warning in his voice.

Feeling a bit annoyed, Elyse took another bold step.

"I said I'll respect that you're a private person, but I want you to respect that I do have a right to know why you suddenly stopped practice for a long break in _my_ theatre." Elyse argued, standing her ground.

"You really want to know, Elyse? Do you really?" Erwin asked, his voice laced with warning. And Elyse felt a bit afraid. He stood up then, snuffing his cigar out on the silver ash tray and setting his drink down on the table.

He approached her and Elyse watched him, warily.

"Yes, tell me." Elyse prompted, bravely.

Erwin's hands were suddenly on her body, pulling her close to him as he bent down to kiss her, greedily. Elyse didn't know how to respond as she found herself carried to his desk. She heard everything clatter to the ground, and she gasped when his hand was buried in her hair, and that his other hand was caressing her breasts and legs with the thin barrier of clothing on her.

He let go of her then, and Elyse was still, too stunned to move as she watched Erwin breathe in and out.

"I haven't stopped thinking of f _ucking_ you since that night he broke your heart. And seeing him with you on that stage, easily getting to touch you and…Maybe it's because I haven't had someone in a while, but God, I haven't stopped…desiring you since—"

Erwin cut himself off, backing away from her as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Since?" Elyse managed to ask, her throat dry.

"Since you were on my lap, so vulnerable and beautiful. Like I said, it must be because I'm going through…a drought of some sort because of our agreement." Erwin explained, lamely.

"I'm sorry, Elyse. I shouldn't have done that, but I'm a bit out of it, if you can see." Erwin apologized, cursing as he sat back down.

Elyse got off the table and she turned to face him, trying to analyze the situation.

"Erwin, hey, it's okay. I get it. This is my fault anyways. I'm the one who got you all sexually frustrated." Elyse said, her own tone apologetic.

"Yes, but I'm the one who just almost forced you to have sex with me." Erwin gritted out, angrily.

Elyse blushed at that, "Actually, I was responding because…it's also been awhile." Erwin scoffed at that, but he shook his head.

"It's no excuse, Elyse. I shouldn't have done that." Erwin said, solemnly.

It was a tense moment between them and Elyse bit her lip, trying to wrap her head around the situation.

When she opened her mouth to speak, a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Erwin, Elyse. We're going to start again soon." Freida called.

And before Elyse could stop Erwin, he stood up, brushing himself off and exiting the office, careful not to touch her.

* * *

The ride back home was quiet and Elyse found herself walking into the house, trying to think of what to say to him. Erwin mumbled a goodnight to her, and he, once again, disappeared before she could stop him.

She checked on the children, and she breathed a sigh of relief to see them okay especially with Maus sleeping on Mikasa's bed.

She entered her room, and she sat on the bed, trying to process what just happened. She knew what Erwin was feeling was all her fault. She had initiated all that sexual tension, and now Erwin was frustrated which was biologically proven is a scientific thing that every man needs.

An idea popped into her head as she sat up on the bed, and she threw off the covers as she exited her room to barge into Erwin's office.

Erwin looked up from his paperwork, shocked, but he softened when he saw Elyse.

"Elyse—"

"You can pick anyone you want to sleep with. You can sleep with anyone, as much as you like. It's not fair for me to only be the one to have an affair of the heart, but in your case, affair of the penis-"

"Oh my God, Elyse. Stop. It's fine."

"No, it's not. This is me giving you permission. Please consider this, Erwin." Elyse begged, coming up to his table.

Erwin stared at her, but he sighed and nodded, "You're right, I really do need to release this tension. Are you sure it's okay?"

Elyse nodded, enthusiastically. "Yes, it's fine. I feel so bad for grinding—"

Erwin placed a hand on her mouth, "Elyse, you speaking like this isn't helping…Also, you're in a very see-through night shift, so if you can leave."

Elyse didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Theatre practice was going smoothly since they fixed that little problem, and Elyse noticed that Erwin was being _super_ sweet with a ballerina.

 _Is this how he is with me to other people?_

That question pondered in her mind and she wondered if Erwin…let his stress go with her. But then, the next practice, he was sweet to a different once, which completely threw her off.

 _Which one is he doing_?

It went on for months, and Elyse still couldn't pinpoint which girl Erwin was _doing the do_ with. Braun had been friendly with her and she with him, but the moment he would try and ask her out somewhere, Elyse would come up with an excuse, focusing on how Erwin sweet-talked a different ballerina each night.

Two weeks before the performance, Elyse found herself even more distracted and Erwin stopped the practice early, letting everyone go home.

Erwin said that he had to stop by the office, so Elyse nodded her agreement, but before she could wait in the waiting room, Erwin stopped her.

"Elyse, could I see you in the office?" Erwin asked, politely. Elyse flushed, but she nodded.

Once they entered the office, she turned to him, expectantly. Erwin looked at her, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Elyse blinked, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You've been distracted for a while, but this time, it's really noticeable. It's two weeks before opening day, so I just want to make sure that you're okay to perform." Erwin continued, warily.

"I'm fine. I should be-"

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Erwin opened the door, revealing a pretty woman that Elyse never saw before.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you would have company." The woman apologized to Erwin. Erwin smiled, "It's fine, Elizabeth. Is there something wrong?"

The woman, Elizabeth, produced some papers from her bag, "The office needs you to sign something quickly. Your father is actually in today, so he took over running the office since you've been directing."

Erwin nodded, and once he was done signing, he kissed Elizabeth on the cheek, "Thank you, Elizabeth. I'll see you later."

Elizabeth smiled, and she smiled at Elyse who simply stood there, trying to fight the bitterness that was threatening to overflow at that moment.

Once the door closed, Erwin turned his attention back to her. "You were saying-"

"Is she the one that you're having sex with?" Elyse suddenly asked, a part of her craving the information.

Erwin raised an eyebrow, taken a back, "Excuse me?"

Elyse let out a groan, "I've been wondering for _months_ ever since our agreement who you were going to…make love to, and all of a sudden, this unknown woman pops up out of nowhere and-"

"Elyse, I haven't fucked anyone yet. I've been trying to practice self-control before deciding on…Why do you care anyways? You've been wondering for months? I thought that we came to an agreement." Erwin suddenly asked, his curiosity written all over his face.

Elyse blushed. Why did she care? It had bothered her not knowing who was doing it with Erwin, but it had bothered her even more when she saw who he was possibly doing it. Ever since that night she agreed, Elyse realized that she couldn't stop thinking about how Erwin was _so_ close to…having sex with her and she couldn't keep that scene out of her head, with her on this table and him burying—

"I just…I just…You know what? Is the break over yet cause-"

Erwin stopped her from talking as he walked up to her, forcing her to hit the office table behind her, and his smile was more that curious, it was _predatory._

"Do you want to fuck me, Elyse? Is that it?" Erwin asked, smoothly. Elyse flushed even more, turning her head to the side, trying to stare at the door than at him.

"N-No. I was just curious, that's all." Elyse said, hoping she sounded believable.

"Okay, and if I said I was thinking of fucking Elizabeth, how does that make you feel?" Erwin asked, still pushing.

Elyse felt a shot of anger run through her at the mention.

"I would say good for you." Elyse said, lying through her teeth.

She could feel the heat emitting from him, and she wanted to run away. That's when she was forced to look at him when his hand grabbed her chin.

That's when she saw the emotion of raw lust in his eyes, and she was stunned into silence at the intensity of it all.

Especially the heat that was running throughout her body.

"Would you really?" Erwin asked, his voice dripping with intoxication and Elyse noticed that his eyes were not even staring at her eyes anymore but on her lips.

"What happened to me being too compassionate to fuck around?" Elyse tried to shoot back, trying to salvage the situation.

"How about we make rules then?" Erwin asked, and Elyse paused.

"Rules?" She managed to ask, and Erwin chuckled, "Yes, rules. Like I said, I've been desiring you since that night and it hasn't stopped. I'm willing to drop the agreement of doing anyone else but you because, of course, it would make sense. You _are_ my wife and all, and it's normal to fuck your wife, is it not?"

Elyse just nodded, not trusting her voice at this point.

"Considering the fact that you are compassionate, would you be willing to just have rules so you can enjoy what I can give you, Elyse?"

God, this man was really _good_.

"Tell me the rules then." Elyse managed to say, yet instead of a strong voice, she squeaked it instead.

Erwin smiled, seductively, and Elyse was ready to just throw out the rules so she could just enjoy what he promised her.

"Rule number one, we don't let feelings in this agreement. Rule number two, we simply enjoy our bodies intertwining and just go on about our lives as in no cuddling and no sweet for nothings at the end of it. Rule number three, we don't kiss." Erwin stated, his voice steady and strong.

Elyse had to think about it. Her mind trying to wrap around the situation. It would help him, and it would help her. She wouldn't have to worry about the press breathing down their throats about affairs since they have each other to release their wants and needs. For some twisted reason, it made sense to Elyse.

Besides, Erwin was _really_ good at it.

Before she knew it, Elyse nodded, and that's all it took for Erwin to bite her bottom lip and his hands started to get rid of her clothes.

"You said no kissing." Elyse let out a groan as she felt his calloused hands brush against her bare skin.

"I didn't kiss, Elyse. I bit." Erwin moaned in the crook of her neck as he bit her there to make a point.

Elyse moaned, grinding against him, feeling euphoria as she noticed that she was naked on his desk already. Erwin was already teasing her, letting a finger circle around her nipple while letting his other hand and fingers circle her clit, gently, making her roll her eyes back in pleasure for once and not annoyance.

"Fuck, Elyse." Erwin groaned, as her hands were pushing away his belt and pants, letting his restrained manhood free.

Her hands were quickly trying to grasp him, but Erwin didn't let her as he growled into her neck and planted hard kisses down her body, making sure he paid extra attention to a sensitive part of her body which were her breasts.

He circled his tongue around her nipple and bit it gently, which made Elyse arch her back, offering more of herself to him. He did the same with the other, and Elyse was ready to orgasm at this point since his hands were starting to rub even harder around her clit.

"Erwin, I…I'm about to…"

"Go ahead, Elyse, let go." Erwin encouraged, placing kisses down her stomach.

She obeyed, and she found herself bucking against his fingers, and she opened her eyes only to see Erwin looking up at her with desire.

She couldn't see him anymore as his tongue trailed down to replace his fingers on her sensitive nub. When he began to lick, Elyse grabbed his head and braced her legs on the table, moaning. A warning bite on her clit made her place a hand over her mouth as she screamed.

"Stay quiet, Elyse." Erwin ordered, standing up as he pulled down his underwear to get ready. Elyse, sober, wasn't ready to see what was prepared for her, and she had gasped when she saw Erwin stroke himself for her.

She looked up at him, and he smiled, reassuringly. "I'll be gentle, don't worry."

She shook her head, and she bit her lip, nervously, "Can you…teach me how to…?" Erwin's look darkened at her innocent request and he growled, "Elyse, you need to stop looking so fucking…delicious."

That statement in itself excited Elyse. She never saw this side of Erwin even when she had lost her virginity to him years ago.

It excited her because she was sure that she would only know about how he acted, sexually.

He helped her off the desk, and he gently helped her kneel down.

"Grab it, gently, Elyse. Then, stroke it—fuck..yes, like that. Good." Erwin encouraged, grabbing the desk in front of him as Elyse obeyed his instructions.

Feeling a bit more curious, Elyse remembered what Freida had said a long time ago about "lollipops and dicks", so she did what was taught.

Erwin was taken aback by it, and he groaned, loudly, at her ministrations. Elyse was tentative, making sure her teeth wasn't sinking into his manhood as she bobbed up and down, feeling encouraged when she heard Erwin's moans.

She was stopped by Erwin as he pushed her back, gently but sharply. He helped her up, setting her down on the desk while moving the stuff out of the way, giving Elyse déjà vu.

"I'm going to be gentle—"

"Don't." Elyse said, sharply, and she pulled him against her, directing him inside of her, and Erwin's breath hitched, and Elyse bit her lip, and she was pretty sure she drew blood.

It hurt. It hurt so much, but it felt deliciously good to have something inside of her.

If she was being honest with herself, she had touched herself when she craved touch and was feeling to guilty about Braun to even have intercourse with him.

The windows in his office, wide and open, made it even better. Sure, there was no obvious buildings close to them to have others see them, but it excited Elyse nonetheless.

As if reading her mind, Erwin picked her up from his desk and brought her against the windows, pressing her against them, and Elyse moaned, embracing the coolness of the window.

"Tell me when you're ready for me to move." Erwin said, through gritted teeth.

"Move, please move." Elyse pleaded, and that seemed to turn Erwin more because he obeyed, and Elyse felt the pain disappear as she clawed on to his back.

The friction felt delicious between them, and the moans that she was extracting from this mysterious and powerful man made her feel like she was in control even though he was the one that was in control. She came with such a strong orgasm that she felt herself tighten and that encouraged Erwin to move faster and harder.

"Elyse, please tell me you're on some birth contraceptive or else I'm going to have to pull out and you're going to be all—"

Feeling even more risqué since they've started this, Elyse bit his neck, urging a groan from him, "Make me dirty, Erwin."

Erwin pulled her away from the window and he threw her on the couch, stroking himself as his sperm went all over her body, and Elyse sighed, tiredly, after it was over.

They were both breathing deeply, completely satisfied, and after a moment, Erwin began to move away from the couch.

He had still been wearing his dress shirt, unbuttoned, so he took it off and offered it to her, and Elyse took it as she sat up.

"Clean yourself up. I have an extra business attire in my private bathroom." Erwin said, his voice controlled as if they hadn't been fucking a moment ago.

Elyse nodded, and she watched as he walked away to the bathroom.

And one thought struck her mind in her chaotic thoughts: _I agreed to be fuck buddies with my own husband. Huh._

* * *

A:N/ Back from vacay, and things just got more complicated. I am sorry, yet not sorry.

10k words to reward my faithful readers with and a sexy, sexy scene.


	18. Chapter 18

A:N/ Hello readers! I would like to thank you for your continued support for this fic, and I was pleasantly surprised to have some of you wait for me patiently during my vacation LOL. You guys are amazing, and to be honest, I thought no one would read this at all. This was purely for my pleasure, but I'm happy that you guys can join me in my crazy obsession with these characters that truly belong to Isayama, and not me.

* * *

Or maybe not.

It had been two weeks since Erwin and her had that _incident_ , and Erwin never mentioned anything about it ever again. Elyse had returned to her prude nature after she had cleaned herself up, and she had not spoken a word of it since. It was as if they needed to get that out of their system, and they had moved on with their lives.

Or maybe, that was what Erwin had felt. Elyse was feeling a bit differently about it as she noticed that her husband was built in a certain way whenever he stretched and his dress shirt tightened in all the right places or when he would get up and walk away from the dining table with that really tight butt of his.

It was if Erwin awakened this _sexual_ creature inside of her and Elyse was desperate to turn it off and move on with her life, and yet…

He had been right. The rules had helped Elyse not feel too bad about it, and she had bit her lip when she realized that she had _enjoyed_ their…fucking.

 _Such a crude word_.

"Mama!" Armin's voice shouted for her, and Elyse shook her head to get rid of her dirty thoughts as she turned slightly red when her son came walking towards her.

He was getting bigger, and Elyse was starting to realize that her kids weren't going to remain as tiny as she wished they could.

She was outside in the backyard with the kids, planting a tiny garden for Mikasa. It was going to be Mikasa's birthday soon since Eren's fourth birthday already passed, and Mikasa, her precious baby girl, had shyly asked her if she could have "pretty flowers" in the backyard.

Elyse had kissed her daughter's cherub cheeks over and over again at the innocent request.

A fond memory of her aunt and herself planting a garden back in the house that Elyse grew up in had flashed in her mind as she watched Mikasa, carefully, water the ground, and Elyse had to hold back tears at the sight.

 _I hope I'm making you proud, Auntie. I hope I'm raising her well._

A soft breeze had past and Elyse took it as a sign that her aunt was looking down at her, proud and happy.

Armin wrapped his arms around her neck and Elyse embraced her little boy as he kissed her cheek.

"What was that for, mon petite?" Elyse asked, smiling, as she poked his cheeks with the tip of her nose.

"Papa said that when we kiss you, good things happen." Armin said, happily, and Elyse paused at that.

"Papa said that?" Elyse asked, softly, and Armin nodded, quickly.

"Armin, look!" Eren called for his brother, and before she knew it, Armin bounced off from his mother's embrace to join his brother, leaving Elyse to her chaotic thoughts once more.

 _So, he tells our kids that, but he hasn't touched me since. Makes sense, you infuriating man._

"Mama, I need help." Mikasa called for her, and Elyse joined her, welcoming the bright distraction as she helped her daughter.

* * *

The premiere night was going to be in a few hours, and Elyse still didn't have any contact with Erwin about what's going to happen with the press.

He had sent her the clothing and the accessories that Petra picked out for her, and once again, Elyse was amazed at the woman's tendency to capture who she is as a person in fashion.

 _I need to convince Petra to collaborate with me in clothes._

Elyse saw herself in magazines sometimes, and France has praised her for her classy yet daring style and had called her, "Paris's Fashion Sweetheart." It was a flattering title really, and Elyse had gushed about it to Petra as she thanked her for her fashion sense, and Petra, ever so humble, told her that it was all about Elyse's character that inspired her.

 _A fashion line can distract me from this whole Erwin thing, too. Stupid man and his creepy cryptic self._

As if he read her mind, Erwin knocked on the side of her open doorway as she examined herself in the mirror, smoothing down the chiffon fabric she's adored since she was a little girl. Her dress was made out of fairytales as if embracing the production that they were highlighting that night. The chiffon deep-plunge top that matched with the tulle skirt had made Elyse text Petra a," Ha Ha, Very Funny." She looked like a literal ballerina off-duty, and Elyse loved the irony of it.

"You look beautiful." Erwin greeted her, and Elyse forced a smile on her face, trying very hard to not grow flustered in his presence.

It was if they had some quiet agreement to not mention what just happened two weeks ago as Erwin walked up to her and helped her with putting her necklace on.

Elyse realized that this was the most contact they had with each other due to his busy schedule with work and the production while she dealt with the kids and practice in the theatre. Erwin would leave home early and come super late, so Elyse was, maybe, a little grateful that he had those times to work with since they could avoid talking about it.

And yet, she _really_ hated her body for reacting to him all the damn time.

After helping her with her necklace, Erwin placed his hands on her shoulders and he leaned forward to rest on one of them as he looked in the mirror with her.

"So, the breakdown for the press today is this. We walk in together as usual, and we announce that I'm the surprise director and that you'll be taking the leading role. It will cause an uproar, but it's to be expected with all the secrecy. Then, we get inside and ready ourselves for the show, and you'll be breathtaking." Erwin said, encouragingly.

Elyse nodded, not trusting her voice as sudden nerves got to her.

"Relax, Elyse." Erwin said, and Elyse noticed that his lips were getting closer to her neck as his whisper brought shivers down her spine.

"Do you want me to help you relax?" He asked, his smile getting a bit wider as he noticed that Elyse was starting to breathe a bit more heavily.

She didn't know what to say, and before she knew it, Erwin was already planting soft kisses on her neck and it started to make Elyse weak in the knees.

"Papa! You're home!" Eren's cry seemed to snap Elyse awake, but she already noticed that Erwin released her and he turned to their son, his composure controlled and welcoming.

"I am. Only for a little bit though. Your mother and I have to go out in a couple of minutes." Erwin said, picking up the running Eren as their son ran towards him, excitedly.

Eren pouted at that, "But…I want you to stay and help me build my Leggo wall."

Elyse felt her heart soften at Eren's slightly sad expression. The kids were missing their father these past couple of weeks, and she knew that Erwin could do nothing about it. He had a company to run and the production that she was putting on would run for at least a year if it went well.

"I'll be here tomorrow. I took off just so we can build that wall. How does that sound?" Erwin asked, smiling as his son's expression lit up.

"You promise?" Eren asked, placing his hands on his father's face.

"I promise." Erwin promised, placing a kiss on his son's forehead, "Now, go play with your brother and sister. And make sure you take care of them, you are the oldest, remember that, Eren."

To her surprise, Eren, very seriously, nodded and-did he just give his father a mini salute?

Erwin placed Eren down, and Eren ran up to Elyse, and she bent down much to his earnest motion for her to kneel.

"You look very pretty, Maman." Eren whispered as he cupped his hands to adorably whisper that into her ear.

"Thank you, baby. I love you." Elyse said, kissing her son's cupped hands. Eren beamed up at her, and he turned to run out of her room, happily.

"He's sunshine personified." Elyse sighed, wistfully and happily. Erwin laughed at that as he turned towards the mirror to straighten his appearance out.

"He's going to grow up to be a leader, that's for sure." Erwin said, proudly. He turned to her and Elyse remembered the almost moment they had a couple of minutes ago, and she blushed. Erwin smiled at her, but she noticed that it was one of those secretive smiles, ones that teased her.

He offered her his arm, and she hesitantly looped her own in it.

As they walked down the stairs and out the house, Elyse noticed that Erwin wasn't going to be speaking on that subject any time soon.

But, as he helped her inside the car, he bent down and whispered, "I'll help you relax later."

 _That_ left Elyse a flustered mess on the way there.

* * *

The press greeted them just as enthusiastically as she remembered how that event season once did.

They screamed questions at her and screamed for her attention, and she was glad that she had prepared herself for the onslaught of reporters and cameras.

The press was informed two weeks ago about the theatre that was owned by the Smiths, her and Erwin, respectively, but they had been left in the dark as to know the reason why.

Elyse had read so many articles speculating about what could possibly be happening in the theatre and she was thoroughly impressed that they were _close_ to hitting the mark with her dance background, and just like that, her dance life was out in the open.

Julliard has also contacted her about if it was okay for them to be interviewed about her, and she had given her permission, willingly.

Now, tonight was the night for her to go back to her roots, and it helped that she had so much support about it. As the press conference was beginning, Elyse found the nerves coming back to her again and she felt Erwin's hand find hers.

He squeezed her hand as helped her up the stage, and Elyse smiled at his comfort.

As he helped her in her chair, Erwin went up to the podium to begin speaking to the press.

"I'm glad that all of you have made it today. It's a very important day for not only myself and those who are involved in this theatre, but it's one that my wife has been holding close to her heart. My wife has decided to make a production in this theatre to encourage kids from all over the world to follow their passion. Her passion has always been dance, and I know that she'll speak on more of it when she's up here. I'm here to announce that I'll be the one directing the production, and that it'll be a great one due to all the hard work and dedication from everyone that is involved. Thank you, and if I can have my beautiful wife up here." Erwin finished, and Elyse got up and walked over to where he was.

He kissed her on the cheek before whispering to her, "You'll be fine."

Elyse nodded, and she took a deep breath before facing the press, "Thank you, love. I would also like to thank you all for being here. It means a great deal that the press is interested in a project that I've been interested in since I was a young girl. I've been dancing the moment I learned to walk and I had thought that it would be where I would end up later in life. But, then, life happens and you fall in love and have children, and you don't know if you'll ever get to live that dream ever again. But, thanks to my _wonderful_ husband and to the people who have encouraged me along the way and have helped me at home, I'm proud to say that I'll be dancing again. As the lead ballerina, I will be performing to show the world that you can follow your dream even if you are stuck at one point in your life and you just don't see it happening. This is not only to encourage the younger generations, but the older ones as well. I thought being a wife and a mother would be a roadblock, but in the end, it was a motivator. My kids are what got me here today, and my husband's endless support is what pushed me to be here. Thank you, that is all."

And just like that, Erwin's prediction was right. The press went into an uproar.

* * *

Elyse looked out at the crowd, nervously, as the theatre began to turn into a _full_ house.

"You're going to do wonderful, Ely." A familiar voice said from behind her. Elyse turned around, surprised, and she hesitantly nodded her thanks when she realized it was Braun who offered his encouragement.

"Thanks." Elyse said, a bit cold, but she flinched, realizing that she was being an open book.

Braun had bristled from that as Elyse noticed that his hands shook a bit, but he still smiled at her, warmly.

"Ely…I know that it's been a bit awkward between us, but I just want you to know that I'm honored to be your partner in this production." Braun said, and she could hear the hope in his voice.

Elyse sighed, inwardly, realizing that she was beginning to warm up at the hope in his voice. They had been getting friendly with each other, but ever since Elyse and Erwin had that _thing_ two weeks ago, Elyse had been too distracted to pay attention to Braun and his attempt to be normal with her.

She was still hurt by it all. Her heart never repaired because of it, and now she even blamed Braun for her turning to Erwin to find some numbing potion for her heart and that had led to sexual complications with someone she held dear.

 _Why is my life such a mess right now?_

"I'm honored to be your partner, too." Elyse said, politely, trying to be warm about it. It felt robotic, but she didn't know how to be normal around him. If anything, she felt shy and angry, which was not a good combination.

"There you both are." Erwin's voice interrupted their tense silence, and Elyse really wanted to run away at that point as she saw Erwin approaching them, "You need to go to your starting points now."

Elyse nodded, and she was glad to have managed to pass by the two men that complicated her life every single day of her life.

* * *

Elyse bowed over and over again as people cheered, loudly. Her father and brother had walked up on stage, bestowing her with a huge white rose arrangement and she smiled when she saw her father's eyes glow.

 _Maybe Levi is right. He has changed._

Her brother was hugging her, tightly, "I'm so proud of you, Ely."

Elyse had teared up at that, the words never failing to make her feel like she's flying.

Once the curtains went down, Elyse went back to her dressing room to make herself decent for the stage door.

A knock on the door sounded and Elyse opened the door, greeted by a barrel of hugs from Freida, Petra, and Hange. They all screamed in her ear, and Elyse laughed in response, thanking them for their support.

They brought her flowers and chocolate and Elyse couldn't help but laugh when Petra mentioned that they knew it was against protocol to get a ballerina chocolate but "fuck it".

"Did you guys enjoy it?" Elyse asked, shyly. She always looked forward to what people said, but sometimes, it was harder asking friends.

"Are you kidding me? I've never been to a ballet production before, but trust me, I'm going to find a membership of some sort for this theatre." Hange said, throwing an arm around Elyse.

"There's no such thing as of right now. But, I'm pretty damn sure there will be after tonight. Did you hear them calling for an encore, Elyse? Almost brought the theatre down." Freida exclaimed, grabbing the chocolate and eating it.

Elyse glowed at the happy reviews from her friends. "It's all thanks to Erwin, really. This wouldn't have happened if he wasn't involved."

Freida snorted, "Anything Erwin-involved somehow becomes a hit. I'm pretty sure both of you will be busy for the next couple of months. Maybe it's time to take those kids here during practices."

Elyse shuddered at the thought. Not only would the kids be...enthusiastically curious, but so would the press. If the press heard about the kids being out in public, they would have a field day.

As if reading her thoughts, Petra patted Elyse's hand, comfortingly, "It'll be okay, Elyse. Eren just turned four, and so will Mikasa and Armin. They're well-behaved when need be, and they need to get out of that estate once in awhile."

Elyse opened her mouth to protest, but Freida shoved a piece of chocolate in her mouth to shut her up.

"The usual farmer's market at God knows where doesn't count. The kids need to experience Paris, Ely. Not secret places." Freida pointed out.

Chewing on the chocolate, thoughtfully and hesitantly, Elyse signed and nodded.

"You're right, but I'm just worried, that's all." Elyse said, biting her lip.

"You're a mother. That's normal." A voice interrupted the girls' talk and Elyse looked up, surprised.

"We were _just_ talking about you, you handsome hunk of meat." Freida said, unashamed, smiling cheekily.

Petra flicked Freida's forehead, scolding, but Freida just giggled, laying her head on Petra's shoulder, lazily.

Elyse sighed at Freida's usual playfulness and smiled apologetically at Erwin, who just shook his head, smiling back.

Hange looked back and forth between them curiously, and they tilted their head, "Well, I guess that's our cue for us to leave."

Elyse frowned, slightly, "Don't leave yet! I've missed you guys."

Hange had shot a look with Freida and Petra, and it confused Elyse more.

"We've missed you too, babe, but we're going to go to the after party. You and Erwin need to go home and tend to my cute godchildren." Freida said, getting up.

"Godchildren? When did we-" Erwin's confused question was interrupted by Freida patting Erwin's cheek.

"Kiss my godchildren for me!" Freid said before exiting with the amused Petra and laughing Hange.

The dressing door closed, leaving the successful couple alone. Elyse tried to calm her beating heart as Erwin turned to her, smiling. She can't read him, and she don't know if she'll ever be able to.

"So, let's go home, then?" Elyse asked, getting up and gathering her things, hastily. She was trying to avoid his gaze, but Erwin's stare was on her as if she was the only damn thing in the room.

"Elyse." Erwin called for her, and she jumped up and whipped herself around knocking her legs against the vanity in surprise.

"Y-Yeah?" Elyse asked, a little out of it, knowing fully well that she just looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Erwin looked like he was holding back a laugh as he simply stood there, his gaze still unreadable.

"I told you to relax, did I not?" Erwin asked, playfully. He walked up to her and Elyse slowly grabbed the edge of the vanity, swallowing slowly.

He was so intimidating and infuriating and it made Elyse want to run and scream out of the room. Why couldn't they have just stayed friends? The whole abnormality of their relationship was making her nervous because they _still_ haven't talked about it. What was she supposed to do now with him? Laugh and make some joke about how Braun didn't scare her this much?

Elyse was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize that Erwin was in front of her, waiting for her to come to her senses and she did when she also realized that he was leaning forward to her level, studying her.

"Hey." He greeted, softly, once he noticed that she was surprised at how close he was.

"What are you doing?" Elyse asked, her frustration soft but still there. It was supposed to be a rational question for what he was doing now, but both of them knew that it was a question that related to their situation in general.

Instead of tackling the question of the situation, Erwin simply laughed and grabbed her chin, gently, "I'm helping you relax."

Elyse scoffed at that, getting tired of this game that Erwin was playing. She knew that Erwin was a man of strategy and that he was _good_ at manipulation ever since the whole "teach Braun a lesson" debacle.

But Erwin still held her chin and he leaned forward even more, completely entrapping her body against the vanity, "Elyse, the first thing about relaxing is that you have to be in control of the situation. Do you want to be in control?"

Elyse froze. She knew that the question was supposed to be a lesson in itself, but the way he looked at her...she felt like she was back in his office that evening they had…

"I want to be in control." Elyse found herself whispering to him. She was so tired of waiting for someone to give her a sign on what to do. Erwin was offering her something that she's been craving for since she realized her life wasn't hers to control, and by the knowing smile on his face, he knew that.

 _Damn...butthole._

"Elyse, you'll always be in control when you're with me, I promise." The seductive purr in his voice as he whispered against her cheek made her grab the vanity behind her tighter.

"Then, why haven't we talked about what happened?" Elyse asked, gaining a little courage as Erwin planted kisses on her cheek and down the column of her neck.

"You didn't say anything after. I respected that." Erwin murmured against her neck. Elyse sighed, annoyed and pleased, as Erwin continued his tender ministrations.

"You know me well enough by now that I was _bothered_ by your silence." Elyse argued back, trying to remain collected as Erwin playfully nipped at her collarbone.

"I shouldn't always be the one in control, Elyse. You have just as much power as I do with our...agreement." Erwin pointed out, his hands now grabbing her waist, gently.

Elyse grabbed his face then, forcing him to look at her. "You're saying that I can be in control of this agreement we have." Elyse said, breathlessly. She stared in that intoxicating blue-eyed gaze and Erwin smiled.

"Yes, Elyse. You do."

That's what sealed the deal for Elyse. She got up to sit on her vanity and she wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her fingers in his hair to bring him closer to her body. Erwin complied, laughing as Elyse whined at the loss of contact when Erwin brought his head up so he could bring his hands up to pull the bottom part of her costume down.

A loud cough at the door interrupted them and Erwin paused while Elyse scrambled to sit up, properly, to see who walked in on them.

Her heart, whatever was left of it at that moment, threatened to beat out of her chest when she saw who it was.

Erwin, forever the one who will never visibly be taken by surprise like her, turned around to see what Elyse widened her eyes at, and when he saw who it was, Elyse didn't miss the twitch of his finger against her legs.

Braun was standing at the doorway, looking shocked and half-saddened at Elyse as if forgetting that Erwin was there.

"Yes, Braun, what is it?" Erwin asked, the only one who could be rational in this situation.

That snapped Braun out of his reverie and he grew flustered, and Elyse noticed the bouquet in his hand.

"I came to congratulate Elyse. I didn't realize that you guys would, uh, be doing _this_." Braun motioned to them, and Elyse wanted to laugh at how disastrous this situation turned out to be.

She wasn't as bad looking as the disheveled Erwin though.

Erwin smiled at Braun and Elyse could tell from Braun's frown that the smile looked... _patronizing._

"I'm sorry, you know how it is when married couples get excited." Erwin said, laughingly, and Elyse knew that he was taking a stab at Braun.

Erwin never truly forgave Braun for hurting her.

She fixed herself, hastily, and she got down from the vanity, slowly. She could feel Erwin looking her way, but she ignored him, trying to calm her heart.

She looked at Braun, who stared at her as if she had two heads and she hesitantly walked up to him, "Sorry, we got out of control in here." Elyse apologized, sheepishly, trying to reign in her emotions.

Braun just shrugged, and Elyse could see the slight slump in his shoulders. "It's as your husband said. Married couples have a right to have fun."

Elyse flinched at the slight sarcasm, and she found her arms filled with the scent of the bouquet that Braun had held.

"Here, these are for you. I remembered that these were your favorites." Braun said, as Elyse held it gingerly.

"You remembered." Elyse said, in awe. Her favorite floral bouquet had been white roses and baby's breath with a mix of white tulips and lilies. She had called it The White Trifecta when Braun first gave them to her after she explained her favorite bouquet.

"Of course, I did." Braun said, softly. Elyse looked at Braun, her heart beating faster and she cursed herself for being weak about him.

 _He broke your heart twice, Elyse._

"Elyse, we should get ready to go home." Erwin's commanding voice wafted in her thoughts and she welcomed it, gratefully.

"Thank you, really." Elyse said to Braun, and Braun wasn't looking at her at this point. His jaw clenched as he stared at the man behind her.

Elyse felt Erwin's hand on her shoulder.

"Enjoy the after party Braun. You deserved it." Erwin said, politely.

Braun nodded and smiled, a chilling one. One that reminded Elyse of his challenging one when he found her two even seasons ago.

"I will. All the awards should go to you, director. You truly won it all." Braun said, and he left after placing a small kiss on Elyse's cheek and a sharp nod at Erwin's direction.

Once the door closed, Elyse took a deep breath as Erwin gave her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Erwin asked, concerned, as she turned to face him.

Elyse nodded, "I'm okay. Let's go home."

Without another word, Erwin obeyed for once.

* * *

When they got home, Elyse walked into her room like a ghost wandering the middle of nowhere.

She was so confused about Braun. She had numbed herself with whatever feelings she held for him especially now that Erwin and her are physically enjoying the high that they've agreed on, yet...Braun catching them didn't feel satisfying. It felt dirty and wrong.

She felt like she was cheating on him.

A knock on her door sounded and she looked up surprised.

"Come in." Elyse called.

Erwin walked in, dressed in his usual pajama attire. His velvet robe and his black boxers were the man's go-tos and Elyse had teased him about how he must have multiple pieces of the same thing.

"Hey." He greeted her, walking towards her.

"Hey." She greeted softly back.

"I'm here as a friend, not for the other thing." Erwin announced, his hands up as if he was being arrested.

Elyse laughed at that, rolling her eyes at him.

"I appreciate that." Elyse said, sighing.

Erwin sat down next to her on the bed and he watched her as she played with her hands and Elyse herself was focused on her fingers.

That's when Erwin's hand stopped her, and Elyse paused when she noticed that he fingered her engagement and wedding ring.

"You really love him, don't you?" Erwin asked her, fingering her ring. Elyse closed her eyes, her heart slowly calming down and the tears began to fall on her cheeks.

"I don't want to." Elyse whispered, her voice breaking, and Erwin's arms were already around her as she laid her head in the crook of his neck.

"Oh, Elyse, our hearts are a complicated thing. We don't choose who we love." Erwin said, soothing her.

"He broke my heart twice. He doesn't deserve any more chances." Elyse argued, sighing as she cried even more.

Erwin didn't say anything else as her cries began to make her body shake, so he picked her up, cradling her. Elyse didn't realize that he was pulling her covers off her bed, so he can set her down and tuck her in. Once she realized that he had helped her in bed, she turned to face him as kneeled on her bedside.

"This is where you're supposed to give me advice since you're my husband in this twisted marriage we have and somehow fix everything for me." Elyse whispered, sarcastically.

Erwin smiled, wryly, his hand brushing away the stray hairs away from her face, "Go to sleep, Elyse. You need rest especially with the way the kids are starting to jump on your bed to wake you up."

Elyse smiled at that, and she grabbed Erwin's hand, fingering his own wedding band, and she realized that she never asked him about that emblem engraved in it.

"What does this mean?" Elyse asked, curiously, pointing at the emblem. Erwin's cool gaze didn't betray anything as he sighed and the dim lit room didn't let her see anything but the ring's cool silver shining from the lamp on her bedside table.

"Elyse, sleep." Erwin said, leaving no room for argument, but Elyse's eyes, still watery looked up at him, and he paused in the middle of him trying to get up. He went back to her eye level and sighed.

"Come on, I was supposed to have the best day of my life, remember?" Elyse teased, her smile sad and that seemed to make Erwin sigh even more.

"Elyse…" Erwin trailed off as Elyse's fingers trailed along his cheek.

"Please." Elyse pleaded, trying to get him to tell her, "Distract me."

"Can't I just distract you with the other way?" Erwin asked, teasingly, but Elyse was adamant.

"Erwin." Elyse whispered, softly but the warning was still there, and Erwin had no choice but to comply just a bit.

"It's a long story, Elyse." Erwin tried to excuse himself out of it, but Elyse surprised him as she sat straight up and scooted to the left side of her bed.

She patted the side of the bed that was empty and Erwin eyed her, warily, "Then, sleep here tonight."

Erwin barked a laugh at that, "Oh yes, because we sleep next to each other now since the day you sat on my lap and I realized how delicious you are."

Elyse coughed at that, slightly embarrassed, but she was still insistent, "We'll talk about that agreement later. Right now, you are going to talk to me about that emblem that's engraved on your wedding ring."

Erwin grunted, but he sat on the side she was patting, and he looked at her, not saying anything.

Elyse rolled her eyes, making hand motions for him to continue, and Erwin groaned.

"Can I just sit here and wait for you to go to sleep?" Erwin asked, more like pleaded at this point.

Elyse bit her lip, and her eyes began to water, making Erwin put an arm around her, forcing her to lie down as he laid down with her.

"Enough, Elyse. I'll _tell_ you, so stop the pouting. Seriously, you just turned twenty-one last week." Erwin pointed out as he sighed.

Elyse pushed his arm, annoyed, but Erwin chuckled, "Oh, I'm sorry we can't be old like you." Elyse groused.

A moment of silence passed and Elyse patiently waited and she knew she wouldn't have to wait long when Erwin put his hand in the air, both of them studying his ring.

"It represent the majority of my life. I…I was in the military since I was a teenager. It was a life I wanted because my father and his father before him did it. Of course, I had success and fame with the movies and the campaigns that held my face, but I felt nothing for it. I felt that I was doing nothing for anyone by just being a pretty face and directing movies that would motivate others but it only did so much. That's when I realized that the answer was staring me in the face when my father came back home from his final tour. I told my father my decision and he had been against it at first. He told me that I was all he had left of my mother, but he knew he couldn't stop me, saying that I had my mother's stubbornness." Erwin paused there, and Elyse took a moment to interrupt him.

"What happened to her? To your mother?" Elyse asked, softly, she looked up at him and Erwin was staring at the ceiling, his expression unreadable.

"I never knew her. She died giving birth to me." Erwin said, simply, but it his Elyse like someone just trampled over her heart.

"Oh, Erwin." Elyse whispered, softly.

"It's okay, Elyse. I heard plenty of stories of her growing up, and I make sure that I…I honor her memory by being the best person I can be." Erwin stated, a small smile on his face.

That made Elyse smiled a bit, "I think she's pretty proud of you right now."

Erwin chuckled, "I hope so."

He stared at the ceiling and then he sighed, continuing, "So, I entered West Point in New York. My mother gave birth to me in New York, you know."

"Of course, I don't know, Erwin. I know nothing about you." Elyse argued, sighing.

"Sh, do you want to be distracted or not?" Erwin teased, placing his hand over her mouth and she bit him, lightly, making him let go.

"Anyways, I went to West Point and—"

"Erwin, I already know this." Elyse interrupted him, sitting up, biting her lip and looking guilty.

She waited for Erwin to get up and glare at her or maybe yell at her, but he was still lying down, starting at the ceiling, but she could make out a small smile on his face.

"I know. Your brother told me he told you." Erwin said, nonchalantly. Elyse's eyes widened in realization as she scowled and tried to push him off her bed, angrily.

Erwin, not even budging, laughed as he pushed Elyse back down, "Now, do you want me to start from the part you did not hear yet?"

"Yeah, If you're not going to be a butt about it." Elyse mumbled.

"It's _asshole_ , Elyse." Erwin sighed, but he continued, "After West Point, like Levi told you, both of you like to gossip by the way—Elyse, stop trying to push me—I went to Germany to continue to serve a country I wanted to serve. I may have had some of my childhood in America, but Germany was where I had my career and my life. So, I entered there, and I excelled in many areas, and it was my goal to go to the top so I can keep on serving. It was then that I was discovered by a private organization that dealt with…a more specialized section. They brought me in, and that's where I met your brother, Hange, Petra, Eld, Gunther, Nifa, and Dieter."

Elyse waited for him to continue, but she noticed that he was beginning to close his eyes.

"That's it? That doesn't explain the emblem, Erwin." Elyse said, pushing his arm lightly.

"The emblem belonged to that specialized unit that I gave almost half my life to." Erwin said, his eyes still closed, "Will you sleep now, Elyse?"

"But, why your wedding ring? I mean, I get that it's a special part of your life, but us getting married wasn't really just as special if you can remember correctly." Elyse pointed out, ignoring his plea for her to sleep.

Erwin opened his eyes then and he looked down at her, smiling, "Well, I thought it was ironic. Like I spent half my life with this section might as well have it engraved on my wedding ring because you know, marriage."

Elyse's jaw dropped. "You're horrible." She said, but she couldn't let out a laugh. "Well, if I'm being honest, it's because this special unit is a big deal to me. I just thought it would make me realize that this marriage will be a duty that I need to keep close to my heart."

Elyse smiled at that, "You're a really good man, Erwin."

Erwin smiled back, "And you're really good at being so damn persistent-."

The sound of a pillow smacking atop of Erwin's face echoed throughout the room.

* * *

A:N/ I was going to continue with the chapter, but I think this is a good place to stop for now.

LOL SO I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY SLOW FIC, BUT I JUST REALLY ENJOY TELLING THEIR STORY.


	19. Chapter 19

A:N/ Elyse is my beautiful mess, and everyone else is Isayama's mess.

* * *

Elyse woke up to the sudden impact of a small body falling atop of her. She sat up, terrified and confused, and that's when her blurry vision revealed the sight of unruly dark brown hair with light green eyes peering at her.

That mischievous smile was also familiar to her.

"Well, good morning to you too." Elyse moaned, laughing softly after as she pinched her son's cheeks. She smiled wider as she noticed that Armin and Mikasa were at the doorway, shyly looking in. She could see that Armin had tried to stop his brother, but he had obviously failed now that Eren was jumping on her bed.

A noticeable shift next to her alarmed Elyse and she turned to face the side of the bed that she had forgotten was occupied by Erwin. Eren jumped on his father as soon as Erwin sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Talk about a wake-up call." Erwin chuckled, picking up Eren and setting him on the part of the bed that wasn't occupied by any of Elyse's or his limbs.

Elyse smiled, softly, and she turned to the two kids who were still hovering at the doorway, and before she could motion for them to join them on the bed, Erwin got up and made his way to them, picking them both up as they squealed in happiness.

Elyse gasped when Erwin brought both of the other two on the bed and they also jumped on Elyse as Eren had did, which slightly made Elyse out of breath.

"Don't kill your mother now." Erwin chuckled, pulling Eren and Armin out as Mikasa wrapped her arms around Elyse.

The laughs of the children were music to Elyse's ears and she reveled in the morning light and the happiness that was surrounding her. It had been a rough year with Braun and her, then him breaking up with her, and then Erwin and her being even more complicated atop of all the theatre and family shenanigans.

But, as Elyse watched Erwin playfully tickle Eren and Armin down as they pretended he was some giant with Mikasa in her arms, she was grateful that she still had this.

* * *

"Absolutely not."

Elyse sighed as she crossed her arms, glaring at her stubborn husband who was still looking at his paperwork rather than at her.

The kids' laughter wafted into his office from his waiting room and Elyse took one glance at the door leading to the waiting room and she smiled when she heard the slight laugh of Petra and Isabelle.

She had brought the kids to their father's office building because she had been thinking about what Freida had said last night about the kids joining the theatre practices. The morning of, when Elyse watched her children play on her bed with Erwin had made her miss the moments she had with them, so she brought the excited four-year-olds with her to petition the idea to Erwin after five months of planning it. When the kids stared in awe as they gazed outside the window, Armin pointing at things and telling Eren and Mikasa about his cute little guesses, Elyse was determined to get Erwin's permission for her kids to start having a life.

Even when they entered the office building, the employees were wide-eyed and pointing. Dieter had tried his hardest to reign the kids in, but they were too curious and happy as they waved and talked to people especially Eren, who had decided to make friends with every single person there, much to everyone's amusement.

When they got to Erwin's office, Petra and Isabelle greeted them, their surprised stares were placed on Elyse, who shrugged and placed a finger on her lips as if telling them to keep it a secret.

Erwin had come out of his office then, calling for one of his assistants to help him with something, and it gave Elyse great pleasure when she saw Mikasa running up to her father, happily, which almost made Erwin drop whatever leather-bound folder he was carrying.

He greeted his kids, controlled and happy, but once he looked up at her, Elyse could tell that she was going to have a stern talking to especially when the only two words her greeted her with were: "Office, now."

"Erwin, it's time for our kids to go out in public. You and I both know that we can't keep the press at bay anymore. We have a theatre, and you have your past life. I'm also an heiress and daughter of a woman who sang for Paris more than once. The kids will always be in the limelight." Elyse argued, trying to make him come to his senses.

Erwin looked up at her then, and his hardened gaze made Elyse shift a little. He placed his elbows on his table and his chin atop of his hands as he stared at her, "Elyse, I refuse to have my four-year-old children out there with all the dangers of the press and-"

"Oh my God, Erwin, you're making it seem like our kids are entering a battleground-yes, pun intended, Mr. Big Bad Commander-and that's not healthy because our kids can't just stay holed up in the estate and in the local areas around there. What are you going to do? Keep them there until they're teenagers?" Elyse asked, growing exasperated.

Erwin sighed, getting up, walking up to the mini-bar next to his desk, "The press ground is a battlefield. Do _you_ think I want to send my kids out there, Elyse?"

"Okay, first of all, _our_ kids. Second of all, I refuse to let the press stop my family from having a life. Lastly, you need to put down that bottle right now because I am speaking to you." Elyse said, grabbing the bottle and placing it down as Erwin sighed.

Erwin stared at her for a moment before taking a sip of his alcohol and he also looked towards his office door as he heard another bout of laughter. Elyse noticed Erwin's gaze softened and he gripped his glass of whiskey, tightly.

"Fine. They can go out. _Only_ when I'm there or you let me know in advance." Erwin said, placing the glass down.

Elyse rolled her eyes at that, but she smiled, slightly in victory, walking up to Erwin.

"Thank you for seeing things my way." Elyse said, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. She turned to go get her kids, but she was stopped by a sudden tug on her hand and she found herself in front of Erwin.

"Now, for my way." Erwin whispered, and before she knew it, Erwin's hands were in her hair as he began to kiss her jawline and _bit_ a sensitive part that made her legs wobble for just a moment.

Their agreement in sexual favors was one of the bright side of things in their busy lives. Ever since Elyse embraced her numb heart and ignored her feelings for Braun, she felt alive whenever she was atop of this powerful, handsome man and had forgotten what it was like to be emotional when all she could do was appreciate the physical.

They've kept at the agreement for five months now. The rules were working, and Elyse could tell that Erwin was more than welcoming when she would come to his bed, shy yet ready. If she was being completely honest, Elyse was the one who initiated it more. Erwin only initiated it when he was stressed from everything or she just happened to be in his bed that night because of their other agreement with their fathers of sharing a room.

Agreement after agreement, Erwin and Elyse finally found a stable one that they can lean on each other with.

Even if it was only just sex.

Elyse moaned in complaint as Erwin pulled away from her.

Erwin chuckled at that, and Elyse found herself carried towards his desk as he flipped her over so she could grasp the edge of his desk.

"Erwin...anyone could just come in." Elyse groaned as she felt his hands dig into her hips. He was already pulling up her dress and she involuntarily ground her behind against the hardness that she was biting her lip for.

"The door's locked, and just make sure you keep quiet." Erwin said, one of his hands traveling down her leg and then to the waistband of her panties to pull them down.

Elyse obeyed, placing a hand on her mouth as she felt the familiar feeling of Erwin's hardened member at her entrance.

His hands traveled all the way up, and Elyse felt his fingers ghost against the column her neck as he kissed the back of her neck as he entered her.

Elyse let out a moan, the creature that Erwin had awakened a couple of months ago, mewling in satisfaction as he worked her body, expertly.

"Elyse, I said to keep quiet." Erwin's warning tone sent shivers down Elyse's back, and she arched her back as he delved in deeper.

She placed a hand on the fingers brushing against her neck, and she turned to slightly face him, her gaze half-lidded and daring.

"Make me." She whispered, courageously. The _control_ she had over him when he was like this made Elyse feel unstoppable. Her mind willing to play the game that Erwin had set up with this mutual and beneficial agreement. He had guaranteed her control, and here she was, testing it and tasting it.

The darkened desire in Erwin's gaze encouraged Elyse, too. The once stoic, unreadable man was putty in her hands and Elyse found that she _loved_ the manipulation of this game.

 _Maybe that's why Erwin's so good at manipulation. He probably loves it too._

The thought seemed to excite Elyse as Erwin began to move faster, making her cry out even more.

And when she reached completion, Elyse found herself in euphoria, forgetting her broken heart and confused mind when she saw Braun's face in her mind once again.

* * *

"So, what are you stressed about? You rarely become like this nowadays." Elyse pointed out, helping Erwin tie his tie.

Erwin sighed, "The kids being out in public." Elyse raised an eyebrow at him, a giggle escaping her lips.

"I only brought it up a few moments ago before you snapped and bent me over." Elyse said, sighing as she brushed down her skirt.

It was Erwin's turn to raise an eyebrow at her, "Bent you over? Am I talking to Freida or Elyse?" Erwin asked, brushing a hair away from Elyse's face.

Elyse bit her lip, slightly embarrassed, "Erwin, the kids will be fine. We have Dieter, and we can add other bodyguards if you're really that worried."

Erwin nodded, but he sighed as he motioned for Elyse to follow him as they got ready to go outside to the waiting area where their kids were with his assistants.

"It's not only that, Elyse. I…I don't want _anything_ to happen to them. I know that they're growing up and it's impossible to keep them in the house, but what if they're not ready? I'm a father who just wants what's best, and I'm afraid I'll never know what's best." Erwin said, and Elyse saw the worry in his eyes and it touched her heart.

"Erwin...I was only _sixteen_ when I got pregnant, and I was just as lost as what to do about everything that's hit us. But, you were there and you took everything by stride. You may be _unbearably_ infuriating," Elyse teased and Erwin pinched her waist in reply.

"You are a _great_ father. And it's normal to feel anxious. I'm always anxious about them." Elyse said, linking her arm with his.

Erwin smiled down at her, and he sighed while Elyse flinched at the sound of something falling down outside in the waiting area.

"At least we know that they can handle themselves." Erwin muttered, and that's when they opened the door to face the chaos.

The doors opened and they were greeted with Isabelle playing with their kids and Elyse noticed that Petra wasn't there. She looked around, and she saw that there was a man talking to Petra next to the elevators.

She tried to get a closer look and from the looks of it, Petra, rigid, seemed to be having a serious conversation with the man. The familiar man looked at Petra, an amused smile on his face.

Erwin, his arm still linked with hers, seemed to realize what Elyse was paying attention to and she noticed a slight tremor of his arm against hers.

In that moment, the man looked up from looking down at Petra and his smile grew wider as he passed the protesting Petra to walk up to Erwin and Elyse.

Erwin abruptly dropped Elyse's arm and he walked towards the man, meeting him halfway. From the looks of it, the men greeted each other, politely and formally, and Erwin placed a hand on the man's arm, bending his head low to talk to the man. Elyse noticed that the man was starting to lose the amusement on his face as his face was growing bored at whatever Erwin was saying.

That was until the man looked up and noticed Elyse standing there, observing them.

Once again, the man passed Erwin as if he was nothing and went up to Elyse, who blinked yet was taken aback by this man's behavior.

The man up close looked even more familiar, but Elyse was having trouble trying to place him in her memory.

"Miss Elyse, it's been awhile. How rude of me not to greet you first, but your husband insisted on boring me with his business talk first." The man said, smiling and bowing his head slightly in apology.

 _Ah, so Erwin's not the only one with the weird mannerisms._

Besides the weird mannerisms, Elyse was still having trouble trying to place this guy in her memories. He _did_ look familiar, but she couldn't…

"Nile Dok. We met during event season briefly. Erwin and you were making your rounds with the business clientele." Mr. Dok re-introduced himself, smiling at her politely.

Elyse nodded, and she flushed in sheepishness. "I'm sorry, Mr. Dok. I didn't mean to be so forgetful. How rude of me."

Mr. Dok waved her worry away, and he didn't seem to be angry that she had forgotten.

"Please, it's no worry. I assure you that it was brief moment. No need to be ashamed." He reassured her.

Elyse nodded, not knowing what else to say until Eren, breaking away from whatever he and his siblings were doing with Isabelle at the receptionist table, to run towards his mother.

Armin and Mikasa clung to Isabelle, who also looked warily at Mr. Dok, much to Elyse's curiosity.

Mr. Dok looked down at Eren, who was looking up at the man, curiously. The smile that was on Mr. Dok's face didn't sit easily with Elyse.

"This must be one of your boys, Erwin." Niles said, loudly. He obviously meant it for Erwin to hear, and Elyse noticed that her husband was talking to Petra, his back facing her, but the expression on Petra's face was uneasy.

Erwin finally turned around to face Niles and Elyse after Niles' outburst, and Elyse tried to catch his attention with a questioning look, but he didn't even look her way. He was busy staring at Niles with a professional politeness that Elyse noticed he used when he was in business talks with other men and women.

"Niles, let's go inside my office, shall we?" You wouldn't come here if you have nothing important to discuss, so let's on it." Erwin said, approaching the man, placing a hand on Niles' shoulder.

Niles turned to face Erwin and he nodded in agreement, but he sighed nonetheless.

"Straight to business as usual, Erwin." Niles stated, amused.

Niles turned back around to Elyse, that uneasy smile still on his face.

"If you'll excuse me, Miss Elyse." Mr. Dok said, bowing his head in slight apology.

Elyse nodded, stepping aside with Eren still holding onto her dress, as Mr. Dok entered Erwin's office.

Erwin went to go follow the man, but he paused in front of Elyse, welcoming Eren with his hands on his shoulders as Eren ran to him. Erwin patted Eren's head as he looked up at his father, curiously.

"I have some business to attend to it seems. Take the kids out to explore. We can go out to the restaurant next to the theatre for dinner. I'll meet you guys there." Erwin stated, smiling softy at Eren, who smiled back.

Elyse, still a bit lost and confused, nodded, but she placed a hand on his arm, still alarmed at the uneasiness and tension in the room.

"Is everything okay, Erwin? Who is he exactly?" Elyse asked, noticing that Petra and Isabelle were now quietly talking to each other as Mikasa and Armin played quietly on the floor next to their legs.

Erwin chuckled easily, and Elyse relaxed a bit with that.

"He's just an unexpected visitor, that's all. You know how we have everything planned here in this office." Erwin assured her. Elyse nodded, but she couldn't help but still feel a bit uneasy with that face of Niles Dok in her mind.

Erwin was already looking for his other children, and he motioned for them.

"Mikasa, Armin. Come here." Erwin called, and they looked up, beaming, and ran to their father, obediently.

"Your mother is going to take you around Paris today. Exciting, I know, _but_ that means that it will be crazier than your usual spots that you visit. I want you all to behave for your mother and Dieter," Erwin paused for a moment, thinking, then he faced Elyse, "Do you want Isabelle to also join you?"

"Erwin, Isabelle is working, and we've bothered her enough." Elyse said, slightly abashed with having her husband ordering people around even if they did work for him.

Isabelle joined them, laughing, "Please, taking care of these angels is better than sitting in a desk all day."

Erwin gave his wife a pointed look, "See? Now, I'll see you all for dinner later." He said, bending down to face his children.

The kids nodded, planting kisses on their father's cheek, as he held out his arms for them.

Erwin stood up, and Elyse, still, had a worried look on her face, but he smiled down at her, placing a quick kiss on her cheek, "Be careful with the press."

With that said, Erwin leaves to enter his office.

* * *

Elyse was grateful in the end that Isabelle came with them. The kids were certainly a handful, but the press was even more of a handful.

She grabbed on to her kids' hands, and to their credit, they didn't freak out when a cameraman came running up to them, taking pictures. They simply looked at them, wide-eyed and curious. Elyse noticed that Dieter was struggling not to laugh when Eren asked the most innocent question to the cameraman: "Why are you taking pictures of us?"

Elyse had sighed at that, and she smiled politely at the press as they took their pictures and asked their questions.

"Elyse, where are you going today?" One of them asked, and Elyse was too polite to not answer the innocent question.

"I just wanted to show my children the Paris that I grew up in." Elyse answered, charmingly as she smiled her dimpled smile and hoped that the press would back off after that.

Instead, the effect was the opposite and the kids were asked questions and their precious four-year-old answers were enough for Elyse to relax even Dieter was wary but he seemed more relaxed now that the press were being more…polite rather than brash because of the kids.

 _Not so bad. Can't wait to rub this in Erwin's face._

They went to every place where Elyse grew up, and the joy and fascination on her kids' faces made Elyse glow with happiness. The press did give them their space especially when Elyse and the kids would go in a café or a museum that she wanted to show her kids especially Armin, who was the most excited as he dragged the tired Eren and quiet Mikasa around. Elyse followed, slowly, welcoming the change of pace as the museum had been emptied out for them, thanks to Dieter, who would check in with Petra once in a while, and she would work her magic as Erwin's assistant.

"You're a really good mother, Elyse." Isabelle said, walking next to her, also relaxing.

Elyse blushed at that, "Thank you, Isabelle. I try to be."

Isabelle laughed, patting Elyse's arm, "You don't need to try. You already _are._ Erwin talks about how good you are at the office, and I used to think that he was exaggerating because who could balance a career, a household, and a family? But, seeing this today, it's truly inspiring."

Elyse was sure she was _red_ at this point.

Isabelle softened as she heard the kids giggle among themselves, "He really loves them, too."

Elyse smiled in agreement, "He's a good father."

"That's the weird part. No one in the building had an inkling about Erwin Smith, the gorgeous European bachelor and son of the German branch's CEO, was going to be a husband and a father. You should see how the women in the building would fawn over the man. Even me, if I'm being completely honest," Isabelle teased, and Elyse smiled in amusement, remembering how she would insinuate about Isabelle to Erwin.

 _Wow. That seems so long ago._

"Then, all of a sudden, here he comes, taking over the Parisian office, married to the head of the company's _daughter_ and is expecting one kid on the way. But, the knowledge of you two adopting two newborns before yours was even born was the shocker. The office building wouldn't stop talking about it for _weeks_." Isabelle finished, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Erwin is a rather complex man." Elyse sighed, honestly, "I don't know what goes on in his head most of the time."

Isabelle giggled, "You're very lucky, Elyse. He's always making sure you and the kids are a priority. He's always asking if you called or if the kids are alright whenever Petra checks up on the household at your estate. One time, he told me to call Nifa to make sure that the kids were not going to bother you one morning because you needed rest."

Elyse sighed at that, even though her heart warmed up at the obvious care that Erwin had for her, even though it was unbearable at points.

"Maman! Look! There's the painting you taught us about." Armin said, calling out to her.

With a smile, Elyse walked to where her son was pointing, ready to spend more time with her kids as they were taught about the city that made her.

* * *

The theatre was in session when Elyse visited with the kids. Practice was being held with the company and Elyse was given the day off and so was Erwin due to their busy schedules, but Elyse thought it best if she could put in a bit more practice and show the kids what she did when she wasn't with them.

The ballet company welcomed her with open arms, but Freida ran to the children, embracing them and already rubbing her head against their cheeks as they whined in protest.

The company was also in awe at seeing the kids for the first time. Mikasa was behind Eren, and Armin was too scared to approach them, so he ran to his mother and she picked up in ease.

Eren was chattering about, happily, introducing himself.

"Are you Miss Elyse's son?" One of the ballerinas asked, softly.

Eren nodded, proudly, "I'm Eren and I'm four-years-old."

The company was clearly taken by him, and Mikasa shyly introduced herself too with Freida's help as she pushed her towards the other company.

Elyse smiled encouragingly at Armin as he looked up from burying his head in the crook of her neck, and he bounded out of her arms to walk to where the rest of his siblings were.

"So, I finally see the kids that you always talk about." Braun's voice said from behind her.

Freezing for a moment, Elyse turned around and faced Braun, her face polite and distant.

"Yeah, I brought them here because they'll be joining us in practices." Elyse said, softly.

Braun nodded, a faraway look on his face as he watched Eren hold Armin's hand as he talked animatedly with the cast and crew.

"They're beautiful, and they seem great." Braun said, offering a half-smile. "I understand why you put them first."

Elyse nodded, her heart now hammering against her chest.

"So, where's the husband?" Braun asked, and Elyse noticed that it was a bit forced, but she decided to ignore it.

She didn't owe him any sympathy anymore.

"He's going to join us for dinner later on." Elyse said, keeping her voice light.

Braun nodded, but Elyse noticed that his hands were tightening into a fist.

A moment of silence passed them as they watched the ongoing company cooing over the kids with Isabelle and Dieter were watching them like haws.

"He's more…into you from what I imagined." Braun said, finally, acknowledging what he had seen that night in her dressing room.

 _Here we go._

Elyse knew that Braun would mention it if they were ever going to talk again, and she had prepared herself for it. She never brought it up to Erwin, and Erwin had never once talked about Braun unless she would bring it up.

Elyse bristled at that, "He's my husband. What else did you expect?"

Braun sighed, "Oh, I don't know. I've read all the press and watched all the videos. It seemed that he married you because you were an heiress to a company and that you happened to be pregnant with his kid. I thought…I thought you were some trophy wife and that-"

"That I would divorce him? Come on, Braun. You and I both know that I would _never_ do that. Especially with the kids? What kind of monster do you think I am?" Elyse asked, her heart breaking at the insinuation coming from the man she had once loved.

The man who had once known every part of who she was.

"You're not a monster, Elyse, That's not what I'm pointing at. Of course, I knew you would stay with the man because of the kids, but seeing you with him, on your… _dressing table_ , it occurred to me that something else is happening between you two and I just don't understand it." Braun sighed, his fists tightening even more.

Elyse didn't say anything. She just watched him, her heart breaking, wanting to tell him about what _truly_ had happened between Erwin and her when she was just sixteen, but she remained quiet. She was also angry at Braun, angry at the fact that he left her, again, but then, what else was his other option?

They were both stuck.

Stuck in love and stuck in their situations, but Elyse could never tell him that. Especially when all she could hear were her children's laughter as the ballerinas twirled around with them.

"He's one of my best friends." Elyse pointed out, ready to just leave this conversation so she could cry somewhere.

"And so was I." Braun said, wistfully.

"Braun…what do you want? You broke it off, remember? We both agreed that— "

"Because it was the right thing to do, but that doesn't mean that I've stopped loving you, Ely. I…I have never stopped, and it just kills me to see you with _him_. Those kids should've been ours, not— "

"Mr. Lexington. It's good to see you." The sound of Erwin's voice interrupted the whispering couple, and Elyse froze when an arm snaked around her waist, warmly.

Braun straightened out a bit as he saw Erwin, come from behind Elyse, "Hello, Mr. Smith. It's good to see you too. Enjoying your day off from the theatre?"

Erwin chuckled, but Elyse noticed that it had a different air to it, especially the look on Erwin's face was someone that seemed a bit peeved at everything.

"Not so much. I had to deal with some unexpected business, and some man is trying to steal my wife's affections when he obviously broke her heart not only _years_ ago, but also a couple of months ago." Erwin said the last part with a warning tone, and Elyse noticed that she stopped breathing.

Erwin was definitely not in the mood to be messed with, and she had only seen that mood once in her life and that was when he had not spoken to her for that _one_ year.

Braun also seemed to pale visibly at Erwin's accusations, and he turned to Elyse, shocked, "You…told him about us?"

Elyse bit her lip and nodded, "Like I said, he's one of my best friends." She could hear Erwin take a sharp breath at that, and she felt his hand rub her waist, affectionately.

"So, wait, you _approved_ of it when she told you?" Braun asked, still shocked. Erwin sighed and nodded, "I did. She said she loved you, and I won't deny her the love of her life. But, you completely broke her heart when she wouldn't give you the one thing she couldn't, and for that, I must say, I'm not one of your biggest fans, Mr. Lexington."

Braun was still too stunned to say anything as he looked back and forth between Erwin and Elyse.

"I'm not seeing things then. There's something weird about your relationship?" Braun asked, turning to Elyse.

Erwin answered for her, placing a comforting kiss on her forehead, "We both keep our kids our priority, and that's all that matters to us. You tried to take her away from that, and that's why Elyse made the decision that she did. I had no say in the matter, and I'm happy that picked our kids rather than the man who randomly decides when he wants her or not."

Braun, snapping from his shock, turned visibly angry at Erwin's words, "It's not that I _chose_ to not marry her. Her father didn't like me, and we had no choice but to separate."

"Did you fight for her?" Erwin asked, his voice cold and Elyse knew that whatever mood Erwin was in at this point wasn't one she's seen yet.

Braun narrowed his eyes at that, "I couldn't. Have you ever _talked_ to her father about— "

"I talked to her father for hours until he agreed for Elyse to marry me. I made sure that her whole family was in agreement before I married her. I made sure _Elyse_ agreed to get married before I married her." Erwin interrupted Braun's explanation, and Elyse knew that Erwin hated excuses above all.

One time, she had made an excuse about not washing the dishes, and he had made a point about it for the next two weeks.

"You don't understand, Mr. Big Shot. I was eighteen and I had nothing to offer. That's why her father didn't like me." Braun said, once again.

Erwin laughed at that, and he shook his head, but he said nothing as Braun stared at him, his face angry.

"If you'll excuse us, Mr. Lexington, I've had a rather long day and I would like to end this day by spending time with my family at dinner." Erwin announced, ending the conversation there before Braun could say anything else.

Elyse found herself being escorted to her kids, but before they were out of Braun's earshot, Erwin turned to him, his smile cold and stoic.

"Oh, and Mr. Lexington, I would've offered her father the huge inheritance that you had received when your father sold his business shares from our company if I had been you, but then again, you were right. You have _nothing_ to offer Elyse."

With that said, Erwin continued to walk with the stunned Elyse towards their kids, leaving the livid Braun behind.

* * *

The restaurant welcomed them, warmly, and Elyse noticed that it was emptied out just for them once more.

She shot Erwin and exasperated look, but he smiled and continued to talk to Isabelle and Dieter at the table.

Elyse sighed, softly, but she turned to her kids as they talked about their day, happily. The food was delicious and Elyse could only eat so much since her heart felt a bit cold at the moment.

Erwin had defended her, admirably, and she found herself thankful to be friends with a man like him, but her heart was hurting again because of Braun and she hated it.

She absolutely hated it.

She felt a nudge at her leg, and she looked up, surprised. Across the table, Erwin gave her a pointed look, and she shot him a glare.

"I'm full." Elyse argued, pushing the plate away a bit.

"You took three bites, Elyse." Erwin sighed, pushing the plate towards her.

Erwin cut another piece of his chicken, and he turned to Mikasa who was waiting for it as she opened her mouth and ate the offered piece.

Elyse softened as her daughter beamed up at her father, who smiled back down at her.

" _We both keep our kids a priority."_

The statement that Erwin said rang in her heart, and she smiled just a bit at how her heart reacted at that.

 _At least I know what I did was right. Braun wanted something that I would never dare give up. I would never give up my kids for anyone._

When they got to the house, Elyse was surprised to see her father and father-in-law waiting for them in the living room. The kids were ecstatic as they ran to their grandfathers, laughing and screaming.

The men took their grandkids and hugged them, presenting them with gifts.

Elyse sighed at that, shooting a pointed look at Erwin and Erwin nodded in agreement.

Too many gifts for their kids meant that they were going to keep expecting them.

"Vati, Papa, enough with the gifts." Elyse groaned, grabbing the gifts from their hands before the kids got them.

Eren had whined. Armin sighed. Mikasa simply bit her lip.

Erwin had pointed out that Mikasa was starting to follow Elyse's bad habit of lip biting when upset or simply just emotional.

"We don't get to see them every day." Elyse's father pointed out, but Elyse was adamant and so was Erwin.

"Exactly, so after you give them gifts for a week that you are here. The kids start to expect it from us." Erwin said, shooting a reprimanding look at Eren.

Eren immediately quieted down, walking up to Elyse who patted his head, softly.

"Besides, why didn't you call us to tell us you were here? Did you wait long?" Elyse asked, nodding at Dieter her thanks as he retired to go to his small house.

They had dropped off Isabelle moments ago and Elyse had noticed that Isabelle and Dieter were shooting each other looks during the ride.

She couldn't wait to talk to Erwin about _that_.

"We just arrived moments ago. Your brother is actually sleeping in one of the guest rooms. Said that he can do whatever he wants in this house." Her father sighed, but Elyse rolled her eyes as Erwin laughed at that.

It was true. Levi can do whatever he wanted, considering that it was his best friend's and sister's house.

"Did something happen in the city?" Elyse asked, worried, coming to her father's side to greet him after greeting her father-in-law.

"No, not at all. It's more like something happened in Germany." Her father announced, shooting a look at Erwin's father.

An unease settled in Elyse's stomach.

"What happened?" Elyse asked, worried.

Her father sighed, looking every bit uncomfortable, so he looked at Erwin's father.

"Father?" Erwin asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"It's about your uncle, Elyse. We found him." Erwin's father announced.

Elyse's heart stopped beating, and she immediately looked at Eren, who was busy playing with the toys that Erwin had dropped in the corner earlier.

Her uncle, Eren's true father, has finally been found.

* * *

A:N/ To be honest, I really wanted to continue from here, but I haven't posted a chapter in so long (meaning I don't want to keep you guys waiting), so here it is!

Once again, my utmost thanks for your support and your comments. I love talking to you guys and I love that you support this story.


	20. Chapter 20

A:N/ Hi guys! I'm sorry that it's been quite a while since I updated, so I tried to make this chapter as long as possible since I have another vacation this weekend. Enjoy as much as I enjoy that Elyse is my only original character in this mess of things.

* * *

Elyse couldn't believe what she was hearing. It had been five years since Eren was introduced into her life. The moment she had held him, she was sure that she wanted to be his mother, yet she was unsure of how long she would be.

Now, the time came, and she didn't know what to do about it.

A side of her was relieved that her uncle was found, but the other side of her was distraught because one of her children was going to be taken away from her.

She looked at Erwin, trying to remain calm, but his face was _damn_ blank as if he was just informed a normal everyday thing.

"Where is he? What happened to him for the past five years?" Elyse asked, trying to remain calm.

Her father sighed, "He was found dead, Elyse."

The ground from underneath her seemed to disappear as the news hit her.

"Dead?" Elyse whispered, her gaze going immediately to Eren, who was still distracted with his siblings.

"The police found his body abandoned in a basement. We don't know the details yet because they want to meet with the next of kin and ask some questions before the planned funeral." Her father continued, and Elyse could see the guilt in his eyes as he spoke.

The fight that cut off all communication with her uncle was because of him.

"He was murdered?" Elyse asked, distraught as she heard Eren's laugher in the background.

"That's what they're saying." Her father said, softly.

Elyse didn't know what to say as she stared at her father, completely lost and hardly breathing.

"Elyse, why don't you go upstairs and put the kids to bed?" Erwin's voice broke through the tense moment in the room.

Elyse, not trusting her own voice, nodded, and she made a move to stand up, but she faltered slightly, and she found herself being held up by Erwin, who in one stride was at her side.

"Elyse…" Erwin trailed off, waiting for her to respond to him.

"I'm fine." Elyse said, robotically, and she motioned for the kids, "Eren, Armin, Mikasa, it's time for bed."

The kids sighed, but they obeyed as they got up and started to clean up the toys that their grandfathers got them. While they were doing that, Elyse took the opportunity to kiss her fathers goodnight.

"I'm very sorry, Elyse." Her father whispered in her ear as she bent down to kiss his cheek. Elyse offered a weak smile, but she knew that her expression was one of heartbreak.

The kids ran up to their grandfathers and as they talked, Erwin pulled Elyse aside, a strong hand on her back to guide her towards the bottom of the staircase.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Erwin asked her carefully. Elyse just nodded, her gaze still on Eren as she grabbed Erwin's hand for comfort.

She could feel Erwin's stare on her, but she just couldn't break away from looking at her son.

 _He lost his real father, and he doesn't even know it._

A tight squeeze from Erwin's hand made her face him, and he looked at her, carefully. After a moment, he smiled at her, reassuringly.

"I'll just discuss a couple of things with our fathers about what's going to happen now, and I'll tell you all about it later." Erwin stated, letting go of her hand and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

Elyse, still not willing to talk since she can't even get her emotions in place, nodded, and she watched as the kids bounded to where they were.

Erwin bent down to kiss them goodnight and Elyse still couldn't keep her gaze off of Eren, her heart breaking every time she saw _that_ smile on his face.

"Goodnight, liebts." Erwin wished them as they bounded up the stairs with Elyse following after them.

But, Erwin tugged at her hand and she looked back at him, expectantly, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he had a worried look on his face as he stared at her. Then, he let go of her and turned around to walk back into the living room. And Elyse shuddered as she watched her husband's strong back face her.

* * *

Elyse waited for him in their shared room for the night. Technically, it was his room, but since he barely slept in there when he was in his office, Elyse considered it "the room they had to share if they had guests over."

She found herself out on the balcony with a throw wrapped around her shoulders as she overlooked the water hitting the rocks and felt the cool breeze whip around her here and there.

She needed to feel something.

The emotions that had wreaked havoc in her mind when she had first heard the news were starting to subside, but Elyse didn't like the feeling that was bubbling beneath it all. It was wrong to feel this way after you hear that a loved one passed.

The sound of the door opening caught Elyse's attention and she turned around only to see that her husband was looking at her, a little annoyed.

"It's cold outside, Elyse. Please come back inside." Erwin demanded, his voice sounded tired but firm.

Elyse nodded and walked back inside, closing the balcony doors. She watched as Erwin poured himself a drink from the mini-bar in his room and he sighed as he sat down in one of the leather chairs.

He motioned for her to take a seat on the opposite one from his chair and she obeyed.

He was deep in thought before he regarded her as he drank from his glass.

"Where do you want me to begin?" He finally asked her, prompting her to answer him.

"What's going to happen?" Elyse finally asked, her own voice sounded foreign to her.

"The investigation came up with somebody was chasing after your uncle. Your father said that the police found a note on your uncle's body. It was in his handwriting and he stated that…if anything were to happen to him to let his family know that he was going to join his wife and that he knows that his son is being taken care of." Erwin paused, making sure that Elyse was caught up with what he was saying.

Elyse teared up at that, "He knew? He knew that we had Eren?" She asked, softly.

Erwin nodded, "it appears that way. But, that's not all. They also found a will down in that basement that belonged to him. It stated that everything he had left would to be given to his son, but it also stated that some of it would go to you and your brother."

That's when Elyse began to cry. Her heart not being able to bear another death. She had barely known her uncle, only knowing that he had been a kind man that cared very much for her and her brother.

"I can't believe that I lost another family member. I can't believe that…Eren lost his father. Erwin, oh my God." Elyse sobbed, and Erwin got up and made his way towards her. He sat on the armrest of her chair and he began to soothe her.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Elyse." Erwin comforted her, and Elyse laid her head on his hip as he rubbed her shoulder.

"So, what now?" Elyse asked, quietly, after her sobs subsided and the quiet moment passed.

"We'll have to go to Germany. Your father wants us and your brother to join him as he figures what to do with the investigation and the funeral." Erwin said, "We'll have to leave the kids here."

Elyse sat up straight at that, confused and troubled, "Wait, why?"

Erwin raised an eyebrow at her and he got up to get his drink off the table and he walked towards the roaring fireplace.

"The kids have private tutoring in three days, Elyse. Did you forget?" Erwin said, his back turned towards her as they drank, quietly.

Elyse gasped, suddenly remembering that she had talked to Nana, Mike's wife, about it. Nana had recently given birth to a baby girl and she was a pre-school teacher in a prestigious school in Paris. Elyse had relied heavily on Nana when it came to applying her kids for that school, but then again, Erwin being their father was already a given that the kids would be able to get in.

Mike, Nana's husband and Erwin's good friend, had dropped by a couple of times as Elyse offered Nana Mikasa's baby stuff that Mikasa had grown out of.

Elyse was amused when the man rarely talked, and she found herself even more amused as she watched Erwin and him interact. Her brother had visited at one point, and Mike and him were the most amusing to watch as Levi insulted Mike while Mike simply stared at Levi as if he was a small kid.

"Nana said that the kids would need help with that, Erwin. After the weeks of private tutoring, they'll enter the school and then they'll be— "

"I don't like this either, Elyse, but we can't do anything about it right now. This is all unexpected, but the kids should be okay. Nifa is here, and I can ask if Nana and Mike can stay in the estate for a while as we fix whatever is going on in Germany." Erwin interrupted her, finishing his glass of alcohol.

Elyse knew that it made sense, but she also didn't want to leave her kids alone. It scared her. She _never_ left them for such a long time, and under these circumstances, she didn't know if it was the right thing to do.

"You told me that it's time for the kids to go outside, and its time for you to leave them for just a bit, Elyse. We're not only doing this for your uncle, but we're doing this for his son, _our_ son." Erwin said, turning to face Elyse.

Elyse took a moment to stare back at him and she found herself saying, "Okay, let's go to Germany."

* * *

Her father and brother greeted them as they helped with the luggage. Levi and her father had already said goodbye to the kids, and the kids were confused when Erwin informed them that his father would be taking care of them.

They were even more upset when they realized that their parents were also leaving.

Saying goodbye to the kids was proving to be difficult since the kids were distraught when Erwin was explaining that they wouldn't be in the estate for a couple of days because they had to be somewhere else.

"Why can't we go with you?" Mikasa asked her father, her eyes watering as Erwin placed a kiss on her forehead.

"You guys have to get ready for school, remember?" Erwin pointed out, smiling as his daughter shook her head, stubbornly.

"Mikasa, your father is right. You have school, and you can't miss that." Elyse said, poking at Armin and Eren's cheeks as they were too busy pouting to focus on their father.

"Why can't we have the teacher come with us like we have Nifa with us everywhere?" Eren asked, whining. Elyse actually shot her eyebrows up at the suggestion, looking at Erwin.

Erwin shot her a, "No, Elyse. Stop clinging on to the kids," gaze, before he turned to Eren, "Because this time, you can't bring a whole building with you, Eren."

"But, we won't be attending school until after, Papa." Armin protested, running up to his father, using his big blue eyes to use against him.

 _Armin is Erwin's son. Bringing out the pouting to put his father into his place. Hm, maybe, I can use that to my advantage when he gets older._

That thought amused Elyse, and she actually laughed aloud, forgetting that her kids were busy trying to convince their parents to take them with them.

Erwin shot her an exasperated look, but she shrugged.

Elyse realized that it was time to let the kids go for a bit. Thinking of how they would grow up gave Elyse the assurance that she'll always come back home to them even though it sucked leaving them.

"You guys can't come because it's alone time for your father and I," Elyse said, using the first lie that popped in her head, and she blushed when she realized what she just said.

Erwin raised an eyebrow at that and she shot him a glare when an amusing smile crossed his face.

"A-And, like we said, it's only a couple of days, okay? You guys should be excited for school! You'll be making new friends and learning new things." Elyse said, trying hard to convince them.

The kids sighed and nodded, and Elyse breathed a sigh of relief under her breath.

Erwin got up, and he helped Elyse get up, too. "It's time for your mother and I to go. Behave for your grandfather, okay? Remember that we love you and that we will be back."

The kids nodded once again, and Elyse leaned down to kiss them each on the cheeks, and she hugged them, tightly.

One Erwin also embraced his kids, he helped Elyse outside and into the car.

He didn't mention anything as Elyse waved out the window, as she stared at her kids, her heart beating fast as she watched them disappear in the distance.

* * *

Elyse was thankful that Erwin and her brother and father were too busy discussing business matters since that meant she could fall asleep in the private jet for at least half an hour until they landed in Germany.

She had trouble sleeping the night before, and she had been shocked when Erwin had fallen asleep as he fell asleep in the leather chair in front of the fireplace with a book on his chest.

She realized that Erwin was not indestructible like she had thought.

She was awoken by her brother when they landed, and she hauled herself up in a sluggish stupor as she made her way to the car and then to the hotel they were staying. The press was there, but she remained grateful for the invention of sunglasses and baseball hats.

When they were all checked in, her father and brother excused themselves to see their rooms while Erwin and Elyse went to the suite that they would be sharing.

Once they entered the room, Elyse made a beeline for the bed, groaning in satisfaction when she felt her body hit the soft mattress.

Erwin sighed as he tipped the bellboy and dragged their luggage inside. He kicked her leg with his shoe as he passed by her.

"You could help with the luggage." Erwin said, but Elyse knew by the slight amusement in his voice that she was clear from scolding.

Elyse gave him a muffled reply as her face was still appreciating the pillow that was on the bed.

She felt a sudden shift in the bed and she turned her face to face the intruder on the bed, annoyed.

"You're taking up all the space." Elyse whined at Erwin, who was busy closing his eyes and placing an arm over his face.

Erwin didn't respond, and Elyse pushed him, but she failed due to him being _stronger_ than her as he pulled her into his arms.

"Stop moving, and go to sleep, Elyse." Erwin demanded, his eyes still closed.

"Don't we have to go somewhere? Like, I don't know, the funeral home or the station— "

"We don't need to go until two more hours, so I suggest that you get some rest now before all hell breaks loose." Erwin interrupted her, placing a hand on her mouth so she could stop talking.

Elyse giggled in his hand, and Erwin let her go as she pulled his arm away so she could close her eyes and sleep.

* * *

"Erwin, Elyse, get your lazy asses out of bed." Levi's voice called to them from outside their suite.

Elyse groaned at the sound, and she snuggled more into the pillow she held on to.

"I would also go in and kick your asses out of bed, but I'd rather not walk in seeing you both naked." Levi continued, and he hissed in pain as Elyse heard her father smack the back of her brother's head.

Erwin chuckled at that as he slowly got up from his place on the bed.

"Elyse, wake up." Erwin said, pushing her legs off him and Elyse sighed, but she obeyed.

As she got up to wash her face in the bathroom, Erwin went to the door and opened it for Levi and his father-in-law.

"Sorry about that. We didn't get much rest last night." Erwin apologized to his father-in-law.

Elyse could hear her father's reassuring laugh, "Don't worry, son. I'll just be expecting another grandchild soon."

Elyse chocked on the water that she had been gargling when she heard that, and Levi's laughter echoed throughout the suite.

Flaming red, Elyse got out of the bathroom, and she noticed that Erwin had an amused expression on his face as Levi was still doubled over with laughter while her father nodded at her with a smile.

"Let's go." Elyse groused, already walking towards the door, but she made sure to kick her brother's shin as she passed him.

They arrived at the station first, the one with the police officers that had discovered her uncle's body and Elyse shuddered as she entered the office.

They spoke German, and Erwin took over with the conversing. Levi and her father were listening, since they were fluent in the language. Elyse only could understand a couple of words here and there.

She had stopped listening when she heard the words, "murder", and "missing for years."

Her heart began to break once more as she thought of Eren back in Paris, still oblivious and innocent about what he had just lost.

The officers interviewed them, and Elyse found herself grateful when they assured Erwin that they would do everything in their power to find the culprit. It wasn't long before they all got up to leave for the funeral home.

Elyse looked forward to the car ride, so they could discuss what the police had said, and she could have some peace of mind about what's going on.

"He was running from someone, that's for sure." Levi stated, once they got into the car. "It probably has something to do with…"

Levi trailed off, as if realizing that he shouldn't be saying the things he was saying. Elyse didn't miss it when Erwin shot Levi a look.

Her father voiced her annoyed opinion, "What is it? What are you both hiding?"

Levi sighed, and Erwin held up a hand, and Levi glared at the man, but he kept his mouth shut.

"It's nothing." Her brother stated, curtly. Her father was about to say something, but he was interrupted by a phone call and he sighed.

When her father answered the phone, Elyse looked at her brother, who didn't look at her as he busied himself with his own phone. When she tried to look Erwin, he had already picked up a newspaper, not even meeting her eyes.

Before she could question them, her father was starting to yell in his phone.

"That's insane. My family and I can't make it to a _party_ two days after my brother-in-law's funeral." Her father hissed in the phone.

Elyse began to worry when her father began to massage his temples.

"You're expecting me to-Enough. Fine. My son-in-law will go in place for me. Not another word." With that said, Ansel Ackerman hung up his phone and threw it on the floor, angrily.

Levi and Erwin looked up from what they were doing, and they waited for her father to calm down. Elyse waited, patiently, also.

"It seems that there is a major party with the business clientele for Germany, but it's two days after the funeral. They said that it's a serious insult if no one related to the head of the company will show up, so I offered to send Erwin, except that they find that unacceptable due to Elyse being my daughter and that she won't escort her husband to the party." Her father groused, and he grabbed a glass off the mini-bar in the car and poured himself a drink.

Elyse bit her lip as she looked at her brother and then at Erwin. Erwin nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"It's fine, Ansel. I should be fine by myself. They can act all offended if they want, but I can make a speech that will have them feeling guilty for even trying to take you away from mourning." Erwin stated, nonchalantly. Elyse rolled her eyes at that, but she had a small smile on her lips, secretly thankful for Erwin's…charm with people.

But, Elyse didn't feel comfortable leaving Erwin alone with the businessmen. She remembered how Nile Dok was at talking business with her husband and the terrible mood Erwin was right after. Even if the men in her family won't tell her what's going on, she knew that something was up with the business.

"It's not that. I agree with what they are saying. I don't like what's going on with Greisha's murder and I don't want my children to be out and about after his funeral in Germany— "

"Papa, I think I can accompany Erwin at the upcoming party. It won't look good with the press, and I'm sure that our bodyguards are well-equipped to protect us." Elyse interrupted her father, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

Her father gazed at her, disapproving of her suggestion.

"Elyse, did you not hear what I said? I don't like you to be out and about with all this investigation going on." Her father stated, sighing.

Elyse nodded, "I know, but like I said, our personal security detail has been doing well in protecting us. Germany may be a different setting, but I trust them enough to know that I will be safe. Besides, all we need to do is show up and play nice and then we leave."

Levi shot her a look, but Elyse ignored it. She also ignored the fact that there was a frown on Erwin's face.

 _Men and their stupid pride. I'm trying to save the business, you morons._

It angered Elyse that they still treated her like she was some little girl who needed to be taken care of. She may not have the skills that they have as Army men and direct businessmen, but she was sure she could hold herself well among the elite.

She had been playing trophy wife and mother for quite some time now.

Her father studied her, and by the looks of it, he was about to reject her idea.

"Fine." Her father said, and that took Elyse aback a little.

"Father—" Levi hissed, but he was interrupted when their father held up a hand.

"Your sister has a made a decision, and I'll respect it. She's not sixteen anymore." Her father said, drinking from his glass.

Elyse heart skipped at the last statement. Her father was trying to be a supportive parent, even though it was a little too late. Maybe, he was trying to apologize for what he almost made her do all those years ago.

 _It has to be the death of our uncle. Maybe that's why he's being more…supportive._

Elyse softened at the thought, and she squeezed her father's arm, comfortingly.

She smiled when her father patted his hand atop of hers.

* * *

The funeral took place in a small plot that was bought by the Jaeger Family years ago. Elyse scanned the headstones, her heart breaking when she saw her mother's parent's graves. It had been years since she had last been here with her brother.

As if realizing that too, her brother held out his hand to hers and she grabbed it, smiling softly.

Elyse watched as they lowered the casket in the ground, and she listened as they prayed and sang. When it was all over, Elyse walked up to the headstone and she bent down, her fingers grazing atop of her uncle's name.

It's been a routine for her now. And it sucked.

"Hello, Uncle Greisha. It's been awhile, huh? I wish…I wish I could've seen you before this happened. But, of course, family matters always get in the way…At least you're buried next to your wife, right? I…I wish you could've also told me that you knew about Eren being with us. Because, maybe, just maybe, Eren could've heard your voice. God, Uncle, I just…why couldn't you just have called and just say, 'hey Elyse, I just want to let you know that you're doing a great job as a mom and want to thank you for taking care of Eren.'" Elyse eyes began to tear as she covered her mouth, "It's hard sometimes before, when I watched Eren grow up, knowing that you were out there. I thought that, 'I'm going to lose Eren soon because Uncle Greisha is going to come one day.' And now that's not going to happen…"

Elyse hesitated to continue, but she persisted, finally letting go of the emotions she had felt when she first heard about her uncle's death.

"I feel grief that you're gone, Uncle, but, now that I'm here, opening up, I'm glad that Eren will still be with us. I'm _relieved_ that I still have my son, and I don't know if that makes me a terrible person, uncle, but know this, I love Eren with all my heart and I didn't want to have him the way I did, but I'm still happy he's here with me, with us. And, uncle, I hope that I'm making you happy with how I'm raising him." Elyse finished, her tears falling down her cheeks.

A hand on her shoulder made her turn around, and she looked up.

Erwin looked down at her, smiling, and she smiled back, reaching to place her hand atop of his.

* * *

Elyse said goodbye to the last funeral goer with a smile, and she sighed as she watched her father and Erwin talked among the other people in German. Elyse didn't feel like joining them since she was still unsure about her German, and she wasn't ready to face the onslaught of grievers that knew her uncle well since it would remind her of all the family drama that she had growing up.

She had already missed her uncle growing up.

She turned and she noticed that her brother was in front of a headstone that looked eerily familiar, and her heart stopped when she noticed that it was the same grave that she had been actively avoiding since they got here.

With a hesitant step, she approached her brother, and she kept a safe distance from her and the headstone.

Her brother didn't seem to notice that she was there since he had his eyes closed and he was muttering something under his breath.

It hit Elyse that her brother was sending a prayer, and it hurt her that she realized that he only prayed when it came to _her_.

Elyse watched her brother for a moment, actively trying to not look at the headstone as he rose.

"Elyse, I know you're there." Levi stated, nonchalantly.

"I know that." Elyse replied, softly.

A moment passed between the two siblings as Elyse faced her brother's back. It was an eerie déjà vu, one that Elyse remembered she had been staring at when she had only been 9 years old.

"At least another soul joined her up there." Levi said, after a moment of silence.

"At least." Elyse muttered, softly, looking down at her shuffling feet.

"Are you not going to say anything to her?" Levi asked her, not even bothering to turn and face her.

"What is there to say?" Elyse asked, a trace of sadness in her voice.

Levi scoffed and turned to glare at her, "Oh, I don't know, Elyse. How about the fact that you are a mother and wife? How about that you own a theatre, a very _special_ theatre, and that you're the lead ballerina in the most praised production in France?"

Elyse bit her lip and she looked down once again at her feet.

"She knows that." Elyse simply said, still not looking up at her brother. "It's not like she can…hear me."

Elyse could hear her brother sigh, but he didn't push her. Instead, he walked up to her and she looked up, surprised.

He flicked her forehead. Hard.

Elyse hissed in pain and she glared at her brother, who simply looked at her with a frown.

"You might have grown up in other aspects, but this one…it's time to stop being a little girl, Elyse." Levi scolded her.

A shot of bitterness, shame, and anger coursed through Elyse's entire being as she stared at her brother.

"I've grown up, Levi. And you're the one who needs to realize that _you're_ the one who needs to grow up and realize that talking to a slab of stone doesn't change the fact that she's gone." Elyse hissed, angrily.

With that said, Elyse whipped around and walked to where her father and Erwin were standing, not bothering to glance at her brother.

* * *

"Hi, darling. How is everything? Oh? You learned how to peel an orange? I'm so proud, baby. Don't push your brother, Eren. Yes, papa is here. Do you want to talk to him?" Elyse asked on the phone, smiling as heard the chorus of kids on the other line.

Erwin, who had been tying his tie as Elyse sat down on their bed to talk to their kids, smiled in the mirror as Elyse shot him an amused look.

Elyse got up and handed Erwin the phone. He took it from her and he began to talk as Elyse took over the mirror to fix her make-up. She smiled when Erwin laughed at whatever was said through the phone.

She knew that he missed the kids. He had been getting anxious with calling them since they didn't have the time to call them since they had landed. He was the one who persisted to check on them as Elyse was stressing about what her father was coaching her to do in tonight's party.

Her brother and her haven't talked since the showdown in the graveyard and Elyse wasn't about to be the first person to break the icy barrier.

Her brother, for once, had hurt her, and she was tired of being scolded by him especially when it came to that matter. She still felt guilty about the fight, but she was adamant and too stubborn to be the first one to talk about it.

 _Maybe he's right. I do need to grow up…No! Elyse, you get to be angry for once. Okay? It's your brother's turn to be the one to actually fix something._

Holding her head up high, she didn't realize that Erwin had already said his goodbyes on the phone and he was putting on his jacket to complete his tuxedo ensemble.

Elyse dusted off her red gown and made sure that red lipstick wasn't on her teeth before she turned to face him. Erwin smiled at her, and she offered a smile back.

"It seems that I brought Paris back with me." Erwin teased, offering her his arm. Elyse groaned at the cheesiness of his line.

"Don't, Erwin. The cheesiness should start later on when we get to the ballroom." Elyse scolded, playfully.

Erwin chuckled, but he pressed a kiss on her hand and Elyse laughed when he spun her around and out their hotel suite's door.

* * *

The ballroom was gorgeous. It was filled with important business clientele just as her father had promised, and by the looks of everyone when Erwin and her arrived and had been announced, the guests seemed relieved that the most important guests of the party were here just as promised.

Elyse didn't know what to think as they descended down the stairs.

"Smile. Breathe in, breathe out." Erwin whispered in her ear, drawing her closer to him and Elyse accepted his offered strength.

She wasn't in any mood to party, and she was sure that if she had been alone in this, she would be suffocated with the glitz and the glamour of it all. Once again, she thanked the fact that her twisted marriage was a bonus point for her.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Erwin and her were greeted by the German hosts of the party, a very sharp-looking older couple that eerily reminded Elyse of the sharp beauty that the Germans were graced with.

It intimidated her.

A strong grip on her waist reminded her that she wasn't alone and she leaned into Erwin's touch, thankfully.

Erwin spoke fluently in German, and Elyse could make out certain phrases like, "We are honored to be here," and, "It is a gorgeous party."

The hosts graciously looked at her, and they talked to Erwin for a moment and then they left as Elyse gave them a slight curtsy.

She flushed when she realized what she had done. Erwin laughed in her ear, "You want to explain why you just _curtsied_?"

Elyse turned pink in embarrassment and she pinched Erwin's arm in warning.

Erwin guided her through the party, talking with powerful men and women here and there and making sure that Elyse understood what they talked about as soon as they left.

"Do you want a drink?" Erwin asked, after saying goodbye to yet another businessman. Elyse nodded, tiredly.

"Yes, please." Elyse said, exasperated. Erwin smiled and excused himself to get them drinks.

Elyse watched the couples dance on the ballroom and she mused on asking Erwin to dance with her, even though he had been horrible that one time back in the theatre.

"Ah, Miss Elyse, I didn't expect to see you here." A familiar voice said from behind her.

Elyse turned around a bit surprised, and she was greeted by Mr. Dok.

She smiled at him, welcoming and warmly. He had been a bit…weird at Erwin's office, but she didn't want to judge him so quickly. Erwin had said that he was a business partner of some sort, so maybe Mr. Dok wasn't a bad guy.

"I didn't expect to be here either, but duty calls." Elyse said, playfully. Mr. Dok chuckled at that, and Elyse patted herself on the back, inwardly, for being a nice person.

"Ah, I see. Is Erwin here? I expected to see him with you." Mr. Dok asked, looking around.

"He's here. He just went to go get us drinks. We're a bit parched since all we've been doing since we got here was talk." Elyse sighed, thinking about how much talking she had been doing.

Mr. Dok seemed to think on that, and he held out a hand towards her and she looked at him, surprised and confused.

"How about we dance then? Until Erwin gets back. It _is_ a ballroom after all, and besides, I hear that you're a fantastic dancer." Mr. Dok asked, politely. Elyse blushed at that last statement, but she accepted his offer, grateful to be doing anything else than standing and talking about business in her broken German.

They approached the dance floor, and Elyse eased into what she was comfortable with. Mr. Dok led nicely, and Elyse noticed that he was very smooth on the dance floor.

"You're not a bad dancer, Mr. Dok." Elyse complimented him.

"That's because you have Erwin as a dance partner." Mr. Dok replied, laughing.

Elyse laughed in return, "You know about Erwin's dancing?"

"Oh, yes, when we were in the Army together, he danced like he had two left feet. The poor women never knew about it because he refused to dance with them." Mr. Dok said.

"You knew my husband in the Army, Mr. Dok?" Elyse asked, curiously.

Mr. Dok nodded, "He was a Commander, and I was also one, too. He chose more dangerous missions than me while I chose to play on the safe side. Nevertheless, we didn't agree on many things back then."

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that. "I see. But then again, my husband is a rather complex man."

Mr. Dok seemed to be highly amused at that as he let out a boisterous laugh, which caught a lot of attention.

"He truly is." Mr. Dok mused.

"You said that he danced with two left feet and that women didn't know since he never danced, but how do you know that he danced horribly?" Elyse asked, realizing his earlier comments.

"Ah," Mr. Dok mused, smiling, "That's because he only danced with one woman."

Elyse paused at that and she felt curiosity pick at her. "One woman? Was she special?"

Mr. Dok paused for a moment. "He never talked about his stint in the Army with you, did he?"

Elyse shook her head, "No, not really. I've only gathered bits and pieces here and there because I want to respect his space. My brother was with him, too, and I've seen how my brother was when he returned home."

Mr. Dok nodded, thoughtfully at that, "Oh, yes. Your brother was there." And by the tone of it, Elyse knew that Mr. Dok wasn't _fond_ of her brother.

But, speaking about her brother, a sting of guilt hit her once more, but she ignored it, focusing on the dance.

"Well, Erwin was always a ladies' man. Very respectable and not bad to look at especially with his high rank. Yet, Erwin was a private man, and we had been surprised when he had brought a girl to a party this one time." Mr. Dok said, amused.

Elyse began to grow excited. Was she finally going to hear more about her mysterious husband?

"He danced with her all night and he looked pretty cozy with her." Mr. Dok said.

Elyse wondered for a moment, trying to place her finger on a specific question she wanted to ask, but there was too much that she found that the dance was over before she could say anything.

"I believe that Erwin should have your drinks by now. Shall we?" Mr. Dok asked, breaking into her thoughts.

Elyse nodded, and she let herself to be led out of the dance floor towards her husband.

Elyse spotted Erwin and she was about to call out to him, but she noticed that he was talking to someone. Mr. Dok even seemed to know who he was talking to as he smiled.

When they got closer, Elyse noticed it was a woman and a very beautiful one at that. The two were caught up in conversation and Mr. Dok had to clear his throat in order to get their attention.

Erwin turned around, and Elyse caught a flash of anger on his face before it settled to his normal stoic face.

"There you are, darling." Erwin said, flashing her a smile, and Elyse noticed that he held on to two glasses of champagne.

Elyse smiled back, letting go of Mr. Dok's arm to approach her husband. She grabbed the offered glass and kissed him on the cheek in thanks. Erwin was still smiling as he motioned towards the woman he had been talking to.

"Elyse, this is Marie. Marie, this is my wife, Elyse." Erwin introduced the two and Elyse approached the woman and kissed her on both cheeks in greeting.

"Ah, so it is true. You have married a Parisian beauty." The woman said in a very thick German accent, amused.

Elyse laughed, merrily, as she blushed at the woman's statement. The woman was indeed German from head to toe. She had big waves of blonde hair that cascaded down her back and bright blue eyes that shone warmly. She was _tall_ and Elyse was reminded of those tall, willowy models back in New York City. On top of that, the sharp beauty that contrasted with the big blue eyes was captivating.

"You flatter me, Miss Marie." Elyse said, softly, still abashed by the loud compliment.

"My fiancé speaks the truth, Miss Elyse." Mr. Dok's voice said from behind, and Elyse was surprised as Marie grew flustered at the statement.

Mr. Dok joined Marie and wrapped an arm around her waist as he bent down to kiss her cheek.

He smiled at Erwin, "Congratulate me, dear friend. I've asked our lovely friend here to marry me."

Elyse smiled, widely at the couple. "Congratulations!" Elyse turned to Erwin and she was taken aback when she noticed that her husband's gaze held something dark and she almost gasped when she felt his fingers press against her waist, tightly.

"Congratulations." Erwin offered, and it would seem normal and happy to anyone else, but Elyse knew Erwin long enough that there was something off about his offered congratulations.

Before she knew it, Erwin looked at her, smiling, "Elyse, let's go to the balcony. I think I saw some other business clientele that we have yet to speak to."

Elyse nodded, not knowing what else to say since she was taken aback by all of her husband's actions.

Erwin turned to face the couple, smiling, "If you'll excuse us."

Before Elyse could even say goodbye herself, Erwin was already guiding her through the dance floor and towards the balcony.

And by the look on his face, Elyse thought better to keep silent.

* * *

They finished talking to the people on the balcony and Elyse noticed that Erwin was on his fourth glass of Jameson. He didn't lose his charm as he talked to the laughing businessmen, and Elyse respectfully laughed with them.

"Erwin, is everything okay?" Elyse finally asked, hesitant but she was worried. Erwin downed his fourth glass and looked down at her and smiled.

"Let's dance." Erwin finally said, leading her to the dance floor and Elyse didn't have any choice but to follow helplessly.

As the song began, Elyse was grateful that it was a slow one since Erwin was a…troubled dancer. This number would just be them swaying from side to side.

Erwin, seeming to read her thoughts, chuckled, "Saved you there, didn't it?"

Elyse smiled, easing into his embrace, "Pretty much."

She studied him, but much to her annoyance, she couldn't get a read on him. She's been married to this man for five years and a couple of months, and he still was unreadable.

"I'm fine, Elyse. I'm just tired of all this business talk. I thought I could get away from it, but here we are." Erwin sighed, placing his forehead on hers.

Elyse didn't blink twice at the random affection since she knew he needed it at this point. Erwin was always working, and it hadn't occurred to her that he needed a break since he was so good at it, but seeing him like this, it made her realize that the man did need a break.

"I'm sorry, Erwin. I should've just told my father that— "

"That we can't attend a party that's in our company's honor? Yes, Elyse, that would go really well. If anything, I was expecting to go to this alone." Erwin said, amused. Elyse smiled at his weak attempt to be playful.

"And miss all the _fun_?" Elyse asked, sarcastically. That earned her a chuckle from Erwin and Elyse laughed along.

"Is that why you're acting all weird before? Does Mr. Dok remind you of work or something?" Elyse asked, pointing out that he had been acting weird since seeing Mr. Dok.

"You could say that." Erwin groused. Elyse laughed and she noticed that the song had ended with a sigh.

"Come, let's keep drinking." Erwin said, pulling her towards the bar and Elyse giggled, letting him.

* * *

"Okay, but who dropped Eren's diaper next to Levi's suitcase?" Erwin pointed out, downing his tenth glass of Jameson.

Elyse giggled, drunkenly.

"Oh, please. You're the one who almost dropped _Eren_." Elyse stated, poking his nose.

Erwin slapped her hand away, and he laughed when Elyse let out an annoyed noise. Erwin got up, and he offered a hand to Elyse as she giggled when she almost tripped over her dress.

"Let's get you to bed, sweetie." Erwin teased, and Elyse rolled her eyes, but she let him help her get on the elevator.

Before they knew it, Elyse felt herself being stopped and she looked up, confused. She widened her eyes when she saw Marie, who was looking at Erwin with an earnest expression on her face but Elyse noticed that Marie's expression changed when she saw that Elyse was holding on to his arm.

"Marie." Erwin stated, a bit surprised.

"Erwin, can I talk to you for a moment?" Marie asked, and she tried very hard to not look at Elyse which confused Elyse more.

"Can we talk another time? I need to escort my wife to our room." Erwin said, pointing out that Elyse could barely hold herself up.

"Erwin…" That way that Marie said his name made Elyse, very, very drunk Elyse, feel a bit miffed and possessive.

"Marie, I really do need help to get to bed. Also, it's our only time away from the kids so you could see why I'm very anxious to jump him." Elyse pointed out, and she offered an innocent smile.

She could feel Erwin's amused gaze on her, but she ignored him and found herself rejoicing in Marie's taken aback expression.

"Oh, I see. Then, I guess we'll talk some other time." Marie said, and she excused herself.

"What was that about?" Elyse asked, curiously, and Erwin shushed her, picking her up bridal style since she was beginning to drop on the ground.

"Nothing, Elyse. Let's just say that you have once again saved me." Erwin said, smiling at her.

Elyse smiled back, drunkenly flicking his nose, "Yes, I am your savior. You must worship me."

The elevator doors closed to a laughing Erwin and a whining Elyse.

* * *

Erwin dropped her down on the bed and Elyse groaned at the sensation of feeling the soft bed beneath her.

She sat up when she noticed that Erwin was taking blankets and a pillow to the couch outside their bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Elyse asked, confused.

"I'm going to sleep outside on the couch." Erwin stated, with a sigh.

"Why?" Elyse asked, getting even more confused.

"Because you're drunk and I'm pretty sure that you're devious when you're drunk." Erwin said, giving her a pointed look.

"I'm not devious when I'm drunk." Elyse protested, pulling her dress up as she took it off, not realizing that Erwin was looking away from her as her naked body was revealed.

"You keep telling yourself that. Armin was _definitely_ conceived when you were sober." Erwin said, already leaving to go outside.

Elyse laughed loudly at that, and she got up, not realizing that she was naked in her drunken state.

Erwin, being respectable, was looking away from her, and Elyse pouted as she wrapped her arms around him.

"But, I promise I won't take advantage of you. Besides, you're too tall and muscular for that couch, moron." Elyse said, giggling.

Erwin sighed and he gently peeled Elyse's arms off him.

"…Elyse, I'm trying my very best to be in control right now. I've had a rough day, and you know how I already get with rough days. Besides, you're _fucking_ naked right now." Erwin hissed, as Elyse pressed her body against his clothed one.

Elyse, already feeling like a tease and enjoying the high that the alcohol was giving her, bit his ear, playfully, which earned a sharp moan from Erwin's gritted teeth.

"We've been fucking every now and then. What's the difference now?" Elyse asked, her lips finding his stubbled jawline.

"You're drunk. That's the difference." Erwin pointed out, and his hands were hovering above her body, careful to not touch her.

"Fine." Elyse sighed, letting go of Erwin, and Erwin relaxed when she went back on the bed.

When he began to leave, Elyse, drunk and mischievous, spread her long legs and coughed, slightly.

Erwin, being also slightly out of it due to tipsiness and his gorgeous wife trying to be the death of him, turned to face her and his face darkened at the sight of her on the bed.

"I'll be here when you cave." Elyse whispered, laughingly.

With a growl, Erwin whipped himself back around and Elyse could hear the blanket and pillows hit the lamps on his way to the couch.

* * *

Elyse woke up with a groan.

Her head was _pounding._

She tried to recall the events of last night, and with a slow recollection, she simply remembered drinking and then trying to… _seduce_ Erwin.

With a sigh, Elyse hit her forehead to punish herself.

"Erwin, are you out there?" Elyse asked, loudly, wincing as the pain in her forehead pounded even more as she moved.

"I'm right here." Erwin's voice said from…below her?

Before she knew it, a surge of pleasure hit her body and she bucked her hips against lips that caressed her folds.

"E-Erwin?" Elyse panted, arching her back as she felt more pleasure through her hangover.

"Payback's a bitch, Elyse." Erwin laughed and after a moment, Elyse found herself being completely undone.

* * *

"You know you didn't have to be such a…meanie about it." Elyse groused as she packed her stuff in the bathroom.

"Meanie? Elyse, why do you still talk as if you're in high school. It's healthy to curse here and there, you know." Erwin's voice wafted in the bathroom as he packed their stuff from their room.

Elyse was still a bit flushed from Erwin's action this morning, and it _had_ helped her hangover, but still.

He had fucked her without abandon after that, making sure that she would regret ever teasing him when was inebriated.

She had trouble walking even now.

Elyse rolled her eyes at Erwin's point of cursing, and she mimicked his words, annoyed.

She felt her phone vibrate in her jean's pocket, and she pulled it out, checking on who's calling.

Her heart stopped when she noticed Braun's name lit up on her phone and she completely forgot all about Erwin and their tryst this morning.

Taking a deep breath, Elyse answered, hesitantly.

"Hello?" Elyse greeted, softly.

"Elyse, it's me, Braun." Braun's voice sounded from the other side, and Elyse's heart clenched at the sound of his voice.

 _Stupid heart_.

"Yes, I know. Why are you calling me? Does it have to do with the theatre?" Elyse asked, worried about the theatre and that she had received a text from Freida that everything was going fine.

"No, the theatre is fine. I'm calling you to warn you about your husband." Braun said.

Elyse raised her eyebrows at that, confused and annoyed at Braun's insinuation that Erwin was a bad man.

If anything, Braun was the bad man. He's the one who broke her heart two times at this point.

"Braun, enough. I don't want to hear it." Elyse said, exasperated.

"No, you need to listen to me, Elyse. You need to hear this." Braun said, pleading.

"What? What do you want me to hear so badly?" Elyse asked, massaging her temples.

"He's been married before, Elyse. To a woman named Marie. That's not all, she was pregnant with his child before he left her for the Army."

Elyse dropped her phone as she felt her world crash down around her.

* * *

A:N/ Hello guys! Here's a lovely cliffhanger and I'll be away for vacation this weekend, and don't worry, I'll be working on the next chapter while there. Discuss your theories down below with each other. Make friends with this angst.


	21. Chapter 21

A:N/ Hello, I am back from the unforeseen circumstances and this is another chapter that I hope you all will enjoy! Once again, I own the confusing character of Elyse, and Isayama owns the other confusing ones.

* * *

Elyse acted normal as they got aboard the plane, meaning she was pleasant with Erwin and her father and that she didn't speak to her brother, still mad at him, but she was also desperate to talk to him about what Braun had told her.

Elyse remembered the phone conversation and she was sure that she had forgotten to breathe.

"Braun, what the fuck are you saying?" Elyse asked, sharply. She didn't care if she cursed since what she heard was shocking to the point that Elyse wouldn't be surprised if Braun accused Erwin of being a dinosaur. Also, she has a fucking hangover, and she was in no mood to be messed with.

"Did you just curse?" Braun asked, taken aback. Elyse hissed in annoyance.

"Braun, what the _fuck_ are you saying? You're saying that _my_ husband was married before and that he has a kid with her? Wouldn't you think that my father would actually research this— "

"Elyse, listen. I just-"

"No, Braun, _you_ listen. I _just_ lost my uncle, and I'm not in the mental state of mind to hear anymore bullshit." Elyse interrupted him, angrily. Her pounding headache was not helping her as she massaged her temples.

"Elyse, look, I'm sorry, I just thought— "

"You thought that _I_ wanted to hear this _now_? I don't, Braun, okay? You have no _right_ to just call me out of the blue and hit me with news someone who happens to be in the next room." Elyse hissed, her head starting to spin out of control.

Braun sighed and Elyse also took that moment to take deep breaths.

Before Braun could talk once more, Elyse was the first one to say something.

"I'm going to be in Paris tonight. We'll meet tomorrow at a café somewhere. Okay, Braun?" Elyse final said, her mind spinning with so many questions.

She could feel Braun's hesitation on the phone, but after he confirmed it. Elyse didn't bother to say bye after she hung up.

Before she knew it, she was on the bathroom floor, breathing deeply, trying to grasp what was just revealed to her.

Was Braun saying the right thing? If so, who told him? Was Erwin really married? Was he a father to another kid? Marie? Was it the same Marie she had just met last night? Mr. Dok's new fiancé?

The questions were making her hungover head pound even more and Elyse had to pull herself together as soon as she heard Erwin call out for her.

She had splashed water on her face and she stared at herself in the mirror, trying to calm herself down and make sure that her face wasn't as spooked as soon as she saw Erwin.

Now, here she was. In the private jet, waiting to land and see her kids, trying to ignore the fact that maybe a stranger was sitting right across from her.

* * *

Elyse was still out of it when her father, brother, and Erwin were picked up from the air strip. She was once again thankful that she had no clue what business they were trying to conclude and embraced the cool side of the window in where her head laid on.

The hangover she had was quickly disappearing and she was terrified that maybe her headache was accredited to what Braun had told her.

All thoughts of it flew out of her mind as soon as she saw her children running towards them, their little arms flailing about as they screamed.

Elyse bent down and they overpowered her as they tackled her to the ground. She laughed as Eren began to kiss her cheeks and Armin and Mikasa were busy trying to push Eren off so they could have a turn in hugging their mother.

But, a cough from behind them caught Armin and Mikasa's attention and they abandoned their failed mission as they ran to their father instead.

Elyse got up, carrying Eren and she gave a half-hearted smile as she watched Armin and Mikasa be carried by their father as he nuzzled their cheeks and kissed their heads.

Her heart began to break as she started to envision Erwin's probable other child out there, not getting love from their father.

 _Elyse, stop. Whatever Braun is trying to accuse Erwin off can't be true. Erwin would've told you. He would've._

But, even Elyse couldn't get that nagging voice from the back of her mind.

 _But, what if it's true?_

* * *

Elyse never hated sharing a room with Erwin, but tonight she did. She had been spaced out the entire time when her family was talking in the jet, so she was taken aback when her father said that he would be staying with them for the night. Her brother, the tension between them getting high, rejected Erwin's offer for him to stay the night and it surprised everyone except Elyse, who only bit her lip as she watched her brother leave.

She had wanted to talk to him, but that meant apologizing and she was still angry. Especially now that the world was really trying to mess with her.

Now, here she was, sitting on the shared bed with Erwin as he read his book and she pretended she was on her phone, trying to hide that she was acting weird about anything.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" Erwin asked her, his eyes never leaving the book in his hand, as his eyeglasses drooped slightly down his nose.

Elyse, surprised and scared, almost dropped her phone. _That_ got Erwin's attention and he turned to look at her, confused.

"T-Talk about what?" Elyse asked, trying to figure out how he heard her and Braun's conversation.

She had been discreet in the bathroom, hadn't she? She remembered that Erwin packing their things in the other room. Oh no, maybe the door had been open or-

"You and Levi have not been speaking since the funeral. I thought that maybe you would like to talk about it." Erwin said, slowly, as if scared that he was going to frighten her more.

Elyse sighed, in relief, and that made Erwin raise an eyebrow at her.

She scrambled to make it look like she had sighed in sadness, not relief, and by the look in Erwin's eyes, he was not convinced. Maybe he was, but then again, Elyse was too paranoid to even make a clear-cut decision in discerning emotions. Especially her own.

"We-We fought." Elyse hesitantly admitted. "It was a family thing. My brother and I just don't see eye-to-eye sometimes."

Erwin nodded, contemplating on what she had just said.

"You and your brother do have similar qualities of stubbornness." Erwin chuckled, and Elyse noticed that he was trying to get her to relax from whatever had gotten her tied up in a knot and that made her start feeling a bit guilty from hiding what Braun had told her.

She found herself thinking if she should just _ask_ Erwin about what Braun had said, but then, she thought about maybe Braun had been wrong about whatever he was accusing Erwin of.

Her head was starting to get a headache once more from all the back and forth hesitation and chaos in her mind.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. Your brother and you will get past this. Why don't you just try talking about it again?" Erwin suggested, putting his book down in order to place a hand atop of hers.

Elyse nodded, but she still felt the sting of guilt as Erwin smiled at her. She really was close to telling him, but she couldn't.

She needed to find out if it was true first.

But, first things first, she needed to distract herself before she was going to explode, so she did the first thing that came into her mind.

She dived under the covers, and she could make out the confused expression on Erwin's face before it was replaced with one of surprised pleasure as Elyse began her ministrations.

And as Elyse looked up, she could feel the guilt getting a bit stronger.

 _Forgive me, Erwin._

And that was the last thought before she surrendered to the numbing pleasure that washed over her as Erwin took control of her that night.

* * *

Elyse made sure that Dieter wasn't going to see her leave the Estate. Her kids were busy eating breakfast, and she had pulled Nifa aside.

"Nifa, I need you to do me a huge favor, okay?" Elyse begged, quietly, as she pulled her friend and helper to the kitchen.

Nifa, wide-eyed, nodded, hesitantly.

"I need you to distract Dieter. I have to go out somewhere, but he can't follow me. Knowing Erwin, he probably gets details from Dieter and this time. There's a surprise that I'm trying to hide from Erwin and I need Dieter to not be with me." Elyse lied, pleasantly, and she even tried to smile at Nifa, who bought it instantly, as she jumped up and down, excitedly.

"Okay, I'll do it." Nifa offered, her hushed whisper of excitement stung Elyse as she was reminded that she had just lied to Nifa.

Elyse watched as Nifa distracted Dieter, and Elyse managed to slip out of the Estate, unnoticed by the rest of the bodyguards. She had contacted a private cab, and she made sure that their personal driver didn't notice.

As the private cab drove off, Elyse didn't bother to turn around, scared to see if she had been noticed.

A notification sounding from her phone had Elyse jump a little, but when she checked it, she signed in relief since it was Nifa who texted her, saying that no one had noticed her slip out.

Elyse thanked her, and Nifa replied by saying that she had excused Elyse by saying that Elyse wasn't feeling well so she retired in her room.

Elyse breathed another sigh of relief, and she gritted her teeth, hoping that whatever Braun had to tell her was worth all the lies she had just done.

* * *

The café that Braun had set up was one that hit her in the heart. Braun and her had met here when they had been secretly dating, and it wasn't helping that Braun had picked a table that they had frequented.

She sat down, and she waited. She looked outside the window, admiring the fountain and the kids that splashed in the water.

"Did you wait long?" Braun asked from behind her, and Elyse turned to look at him, ready to lash out on him for being insensitive about the café and the table, but she stopped.

It was like getting hit by a bus, but a really big one.

She couldn't believe the person standing next to Braun, and she didn't what to say as she watched the person take the seat across from her and watched as Braun motioned for another chair so he could sit.

Once everyone was settled, Elyse just stared at the surprising visitor in front of her and she didn't know what to do.

"Miss Elyse, how are you since our dance in Germany?" The visitor asked her, politely, breaking the tense silence that had formed around them.

Elyse opened her mouth, but she decided to shut her mouth in order to get her mind back on track with Braun's unexpected surprise.

She was thankful when a waiter came to the table, asking if they would like to order.

Elyse put the menu in front of her face, pretending to scan the list of items as she watched the other two men follow her example.

They looked calm, as if this meeting was a simple hangout get together that wasn't about to be an awkward showdown between exes and a random Mr. Nile Dok.

When they placed their orders, Elyse hesitantly handed her menu back to the waiter, and she turned to face them, slowly.

"Elyse, I'm sure you already met Mr. Nile Dok. He visited our Army force when he was a Commander back in the day. I trained under him for a while. But, I've recently learned that he also knew your…husband, too." Braun began, trying to be professional about this messed up meeting.

Elyse simply nodded, still staring at Mr. Dok as if he wasn't real.

Mr. Dok smiled and he turned to Braun, shaking his head.

"Mr. Lexington, let's let Miss Elyse breathe first. I'm sure she wasn't expecting my presence today." He stated, motioning for Elyse to take a drink of her water in front of her.

Elyse, thankful for the reminder, grabbed the glass and began to drink it, heavily.

Once she was done, she placed the glass back down, panting slightly.

"What is going on, Braun? I came here to see why you were stating crazy things about _my_ husband, yet I'm sitting across from one of his business partners." Elyse finally said, softly, that Braun had to strain to hear.

"Elyse…what I said is true. Your husband was married before, and he left her, pregnant, to join the Army's special unit in Germany." Braun persisted, his eyes darting back and forth between Nile and her.

Elyse faced Nile and stared at him, hard, "And I'm to assume that you're Braun's source?"

Nile just stared at her, his pleasant countenance still there, as he sat up straight and properly.

"You assume correctly, Miss Elyse." He confirmed, his hands still properly folded in front of him.

Elyse was sure that the world was spinning. The ground beneath her seemed unsteady, and she tried her best to focus on the faces before her. Her head was spinning, and Elyse didn't know how to feel about all the built-up tension and stress that was tightening her chest.

She was sure she also forgot to breathe.

"Explain. Now." Elyse managed to spit out, her voice soft compared to the loudness and chaos in her mind.

Braun looked at her, concerned, and he shot Nile a look, who shot him back a reassuring glance. Elyse watched as Nile reached for one of her pale hands as she shook, slightly.

The pity and reassurance on his face was unbearable to her, so Elyse looked down, focusing on her shaking hand and his steady one.

"Like I said when we were dancing, Miss Elyse, Erwin has always been a private man, an aloof one. We went to the same military school together, and we were stationed together in a private section. He was always brilliant, and I was more than happy to be his partner. He showed great leadership, brilliant strategies, and smooth charisma. It wasn't long before he was promoted quickly and I got to follow him. After we were promoted to be Commanders, Erwin and I were told to also show up in parties to schmooze the usual contributors that fund us. Women would fawn over him, but Erwin, being a bit odd, would never seem to show interest in them. It was until the more parties we had to go, I realized that Erwin would go to a certain bar to take the edge off. It wasn't long after that I saw a woman appear next to Erwin's side. She was beautiful and just as charismatic as he was. They were the golden couple. I was then introduced to her. Marie was enthusiastic while Erwin was the aloof one, but they seemed very happy," Nile began. He stopped when the waiter brought them their dishes.

Elyse was too busy listening very closely when the waiter placed her dish before her.

"It wasn't long before Erwin was offered the Commander position for a private unit that specialized in Germany. It would take him away from Marie, and I was shocked when Erwin said he was going to join the unit. When Erwin had left, I had stopped to visit Marie to check up on her and how she was holding up. I was surprised to be greeted by a saddened Marie. But, I was even more shocked when I saw that she had a small bump peeking out of her dress. It was then that I realized Erwin had left his wife, pregnant and alone. Upset by how my friend was not turning to be this ideal man that I looked up to, I scolded him as soon as I saw him report to our Head Chief. He didn't betray any emotion as he stared at me and talked to me as if I was some child that didn't get the fact that the _Army_ was more important than a pregnant wife back at home. I was appalled and disgusted by Erwin's behavior, so I didn't talk to him after that. That's when I realized that he had been correct in a twisted way, so I went back to Marie to assure her that Erwin knew about her and that he would come back home for her." Nile stopped there, and something flashed in his eyes before he picked up his utensils to begin eating.

And that seemed to signal the end of the story for him, but it wasn't for Elyse.

Elyse saw it. She saw the hesitancy that shone so brightly in his eyes in that one moment.

He was hiding something, and Elyse wasn't about to let him go without the information he was withholding.

"You're hiding something." Elyse stated, accusingly, tired of all the lies and truths that she had been told.

"Elyse…" Braun trailed off, taken aback by her sudden sharp attitude. Elyse turned to glare at him.

Nile looked at her, and he sighed, giving in.

"I went back to comfort Marie and to assure her about Erwin's loyalty and duty until I saw that her bump was now gone. Confused, I remembered that she wasn't _that_ far along to give birth and I immediately thought the worse. I asked her if she had miscarried, and Marie stared at me as if I had grown two heads. She had shaken her head, and she told me that she had chosen to get an abortion, stating that Erwin would forever be placing duty over his own family. Shocked, I asked her if that was what she really wanted. She stared at me then, and my heart had broken for her when she whispered no. Erwin never returned home to Marie after that. He had divorced her overseas, and Marie had signed the papers with no hesitation. Marie had told me that she regretted loving that man and falling for his charms. And that's it, that's the story." Nile finished, sadly.

Elyse didn't know what to say. Her heart was beating fast as she looked down at her hands, trying to breathe in and out.

"So, you're saying that my husband was married before and that he was supposed to be a father, but he chose to be an asshole and even divorced her after she made a heartbreaking choice?" Elyse asked, trying to wrap her mind around it.

"Yes, Miss Elyse." Nile confirmed, slowly.

"Tell me, Mr. Dok. Since you claim to know my husband so well, do you think that my husband made his then-wife abort their child? She didn't want the abortion, but it seemed that you were suggesting that… "

"Yes, Miss Elyse. I'm afraid so." Nile confirmed once more, this time a bit hesitant as Elyse began to slightly tremble.

Elyse didn't say anything as she stared at the table, trying to pin the facts in her chaotic thoughts. Nile got up, coughing slightly.

"I should be going now." Mr. Dok excused himself, and Elyse stopped him before tugging on his suit jacket.

"…The Marie that you talked about…Is she your fiancé now?" Elyse asked, the question burning in her mind as she remembered Germany.

"Yes, Miss Elyse. She is my fiancé now." Nile confirmed, patting the hand that was tightened around the fabric of his jacket, comfortingly.

Elyse let go in shock, and Mr. Dok bent down, his face had compassion and understanding and Elyse wanted to run away from such a gaze, feeling embarrassed and angered at it.

She didn't need anyone's pity.

"I'm sorry that you had to hear this from me, but your friend here was really adamant on wanting you to hear about Erwin's past. If you'll excuse me, Miss Elyse, I do hope that you will feel better soon about this." Mr. Dok offered, weakly.

With that said, the man bowed his head towards Braun and took his leave.

It was quiet for a moment between Braun and Elyse. The high tension between them was almost unbearable.

"Elyse—" Braun was cut off as Elyse stood up, swiftly. He stopped talking when Elyse's eyes turned towards him, wide and blown-out pupils.

"I…I need to go home. I need to process this." Elyse muttered, and she began to try and grab for her purse until it fell down from the chair.

Braun got up to help her, but Elyse slapped his hands away. She got up, gathering her purse, and she began to move to walk away from them until Braun grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Elyse, please wait." Braun begged, but Elyse wretched her arm away from him, turning to face him.

"Tell me, Braun. Why did you do this, hm? Why did you want to tell me so _badly_ about my husband's hidden past when you know very well that _he_ was the one who had encouraged us to be together in the first place? _I have kids with the man, Braun._ What was the whole point of this? You let me go, so why couldn't you let me go in peace?" Elyse asked, her questions fast and mingling together, that Braun had to strain to hear.

Braun grabbed the sides of her face and he kissed her, deeply, and Elyse, angered by his sudden move, pushed him away.

"How dare you." Elyse hissed, wiping her lips. Braun just stared helplessly at her, realizing that he didn't have any affect with her anymore.

"Elyse…I just needed you to know who you were married to. A man like that…doesn't deserve you." Braun finished, lamely.

Elyse laughed, hollowly. Her heart feeling numb from it all.

"Do you want to know something, Braun? I'm tired of everyone dictating on what _they_ think _I_ deserve. I'm married and we have children, and you couldn't accept that especially the fact that I literally can't do anything about that. You know why? _Because I've always done the right thing_. I've learned that me trying to be bad just leads to worse things, but God, this thing you just _had_ to let me know when my life is perfectly fine?! _This_?!" Elyse knew she was beginning to screech and she could see the people around them whispering, and that's when she saw the cellphones coming out and she began to realize that she wasn't a normal person in a café.

Braun had sprung into action and he began to escort her out of the café as soon as people began to chatter and follow after them, their cellphones and cameras being shoved towards Elyse's face.

When they reached a safe place, Elyse began to scramble for her phone, calling for a private cab. As soon as that was done, she began to walk away from Braun, who was breathing deeply after pushing people away from her.

"Elyse!" Braun called after her, and Elyse stopped in her tracks to turn around.

Her glare still there, but the tiredness on her face was showing from all the information that she had just learned.

"What now, Braun?" Elyse asked, more than willing to just run away from him at this point.

"I never meant to get you angry. I just…I missed you and seeing you with him…it hurt, okay? It really hurt. I realized I'm the one who ended things, but it still sucked. Besides, you deserved to know what I found out. You deserved to know who you were married to." Braun explained, exasperated.

Elyse narrowed her eyes, and she crossed her arms, "And how did you come across this information, hm? Did you just randomly started talking to Mr. Dok about the Army and then Erwin came up?"

Braun had the decency to look ashamed as he looked everywhere but her, "I...was snooping around and I have a friend who's still in the Army and he did—"

Elyse held up a hand, her chaotic thoughts running rampage as she listened to Braun's excuse of what he did.

Anger and rage filled her very being and it was towards the man in front of her. She had been _fine_ with her life even if she was still heartbroken after him, yet now…

All she wanted to do was rip him apart for ruining all she had left of what she thought was perfect.

Her father had controlled her in the beginning which made her be in this certain situation. Her brother wasn't talking to her, her own best friend. Everyone around her was either dead or had their own lives like Freida and the ballet company. Now, the one thing she had relied on was this family that she and Erwin and the kids had made up.

And, now it was being ripped away from her with the revelation of Erwin's past life.

"I don't _ever_ want to see you again, Braun. Do you understand me? _Ever_." Elyse hissed, angrily, and she was thankful that the private cab was there to take her home in that instant.

She didn't bother to hear his reply or even look in his direction. She opened the door, hastily, and she entered the car, quickly.

She didn't even bother to look back.

* * *

Elyse didn't return home, immediately. Instead, she went to the theatre to oversee the production that had been set up while she had been gone in Germany.

She had been greeted by a frantic Freida about Braun quitting just five minutes ago.

Elyse had just nodded at that, telling Freida to replace the male lead with their second best without blinking.

She was too busy thinking about what awaited her back home.

The idea of her perfect family had been shattered when Erwin was revealed to be a horrible man who didn't have the sense of duty towards family that she thought he had.

 _He could've changed, Elyse. Maybe, that's why he's dutiful towards you and the children. He could simply be regretting everything that has ever happened._

She tried to save him in her mind, but she couldn't help but think of all the times that Erwin had been cryptic about his past life and how she was more open with him than he ever was with her. If anything, the man treated her like a business partner…with benefits, but even then, there was _nothing_ of what a normal husband and wife would _be_ with each other.

God, Erwin even let her have an affair if they were being honest about it.

 _When it comes down to it, I don't trust him. I don't…even if he gives me gorgeous clothes and a great Estate. He can attend to me all he wants…I don't know Erwin Smith._

That's what scared her the most. He was a stranger, one that talked in riddles with vagueness. He treated her respectfully, but was it respect when she had opened up to him about everything and he only opened up to her when it just happened to show? His PTSD wouldn't have been revealed voluntarily by him if Elyse hadn't experienced it, personally.

Elyse knew that for a fact. Erwin never shared anything with her, and she remembered when he would simply wave off her concerns, saying that he would take care of things, and she had trusted him, blindly.

She let him do whatever he wanted, blindly, and here she was, standing in the very theatre he bought for her.

Feeling overwhelmed, she excused herself and Freida began to look at her, curiously, before a smile took over.

"Don't tell me…Are you pregnant?" Freida whispered in her friend's ear.

Elyse felt like vomiting as she smiled back at her friend, hiding the fact that the insinuation was a dagger to her heart.

Elyse shook her head, waving her friend off. She said goodbye to the cast and crew, and she walked outside, taking a deep breath.

"Miss Elyse." A familiar voice sounded behind her, and Elyse turned around, shocked.

"D-Dieter?" Elyse gasped, suddenly realizing that she had been gone for way too long. She reached for her phone in her purse and she cursed silently when she realized she had silenced it to clear her mind.

She had 2 missed calls from Nifa.

She had 10 missed calls from Erwin.

Fuck.

Elyse looked up, and she saw Dieter's disappointed face and she bit her lip, bowing her head, ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Dieter. I…" She trailed off, feeling even more guilty at what may have faced Dieter back at home with Erwin arriving and realizing that Elyse was gone and Dieter wasn't with her.

A small sigh and a pat on her shoulder made Elyse look up, and she softened when she saw Dieter offering her a half-smile.

"Let's just get you home now, Miss Elyse. Mr. Smith…isn't happy." Dieter said that last part softly and slowly.

Elyse sighed, but she nodded. She gave Dieter a slight nod of thanks when he opened the door for her.

What she didn't see was Dieter's concerned look at her when he shut the door.

* * *

Elyse arrived at the Estate, dreading to step into it for the first time in her life. She had loved living her life here, and she had loved every bit of its rustic beauty. But, now, all she wanted to do was run away from it.

She sighed. She's going to have to face it somehow, but she didn't know whether she should confront Erwin about it or just leave it and try to figure what to do with the information.

Maybe she could give Erwin the benefit of the doubt and just forget that it ever happened?

Braun definitely wanted her to leave him, but Elyse knew better than to leave the _father_ of her children. Besides, it was all in the past and—

Elyse walked inside the house and she was greeted by a dimly lit living room that was only lightened up by the fire roaring in the fireplace. She hadn't realized that she was already walking towards the house and Dieter had probably excused himself earlier on.

Was the living room ever dark? Elyse narrowed her eyes and she made out the outline of Erwin sitting in front of the fireplace and she could hear his voice drifting towards her. He was on the phone, and by the sound of it, it sounded serious.

Elyse managed to find the switch to the chandelier light and flipped it, illuminating the dark living room.

Erwin's face turned to look at her, and Elyse was floored by staring at him. With the information still hitting her, Elyse knew that it would be a shock to face Erwin once more, but it wasn't because of that anymore.

Erwin's face was livid. Elyse never saw his face like that before, and she could feel the terror rise within her when Erwin didn't break eye contact with her as he hung up the phone.

He got up from his seat and he approached her, slowly. Elyse stood her ground as she felt her legs tremble.

"Do you want to tell me where you've been?" Erwin asked, his voice low and slow.

"I was out. I was getting something that needed to be a surprise." Elyse lied, trying to remember what she had told Nifa.

"Oh? That bullshit you told Nifa isn't going to fly past me. Especially, since I got interesting phone calls from our agents." Erwin hissed, angrily, his blue eyes darkening and piercing her own wide-eyed hazel gaze.

"Agents? What are you talking about?" Elyse asked, exasperated and confused.

 _Agents?_ _As in—_

She cut off her own thoughts as she realized what had happened earlier in the café. Phones, people, and being chased from the café hit Elyse in realization.

"Erwin…I can explain." Elyse pleaded, softly. Erwin's hardened gaze reminded her of that night that he had almost choked her to death, and she was starting to think that he was going to have another episode if she didn't try to calm him down.

"Please, do." Erwin said, his tone not matching his polite statement.

"Braun had wanted closure and I agreed to meet with him about it." Elyse explained, kind of seeing the truth in it, technically.

Erwin stared at her, and he began to laugh.

And, it wasn't the usual pleasurable one that always came from his throat.

He laughed, darkly, and he approached her, swiftly, that Elyse didn't have time to react.

He was in front of her now, and he bent slightly down to get on her level, "Are you lying to me, Elyse?"

Elyse stared up at him, nodding, helplessly. She hoped that she was believable. Erwin's gaze was unbearable to bear especially with all the guilt that was building within her.

He stepped away from her, and Elyse breathed a sigh of relief until she found herself locked in Erwin's powerful arms and that his lips were on hers. Elyse widened her eyes in shock, and she gasped which gave Erwin the opportunity to insert dominance in the kiss.

Erwin had just broken one of their rules, but for once, Elyse didn't care for rules. Everything was happening too fast around her, and she was willing to lose herself in his embrace for just a moment just so she could maybe sleep tonight.

Elyse responded, and Erwin growled in her mouth as he pulled her closer, and Elyse found it hard to breathe in a delicious way as her body molded against his, perfectly.

It wasn't until Erwin pushed her away, and Elyse stumbled a bit, taken aback.

"Tell me, Elyse, was Braun's kiss just like that?" Erwin asked, darkly.

Elyse froze. The memory of Braun grabbing her face and kissing her hard was playing in her mind as she watched Erwin place his phone in her hands, showing her exactly what was playing in her mind.

"Closure, my ass." Erwin stated, grabbing the phone back, turning his back towards her to grab a drink from the liquor room that was across the living room.

"Erwin, wait." Elyse called out to him, softly, but she just watched his retreating back. After a moment, she decided to follow him, trying to see if she could explain what was going to be on the Internet and in every news outlet in the world any moment now.

She found him sitting at the bar, his dress shirt in a disarray and his hair, down and messy, also. He was drinking straight-up vodka, and Elyse winced when she saw him take three shots in a row.

"Erwin, can you please let me explain?" Elyse asked, pleadingly.

"Explain what, Elyse? How you just ruined everything? How all the tabloids will be talking about how we are headed to divorce? God, our children will be going to school tomorrow and the press will be hounding them once more. Shit, Elyse!" Erwin grunted, hurling his glass towards the back of the room.

The sound of the shattering glass made Elyse wince, and she noticed that her eyes were beginning to water.

God, everything was starting to be a mess.

"Erwin…I didn't want him to kiss me. He was begging me to listen to him, but I refused. And, he did that." Elyse argued, trying to fix things.

Erwin chuckled, hollowly, "That doesn't matter, Elyse. You refused to bring a bodyguard with you, so that's just immediately sketchy from the get-go. You let yourself be in a public place with only him. So, in other words, we're fucked."

Elyse didn't know what to say, so she just looked down at her shuffling feet.

"I knew you were too naïve to be trusted with. When will you learn that Braun isn't worth throwing your life over? When I said to give your heart to someone else, I didn't mean to some dipshit who can't even handle being discreet. God, Elyse, you're not sixteen anymore. Grow the fuck up and realize that you have a fucking family that is under the spotlight. Isn't that what you did when you married me?" Erwin pointed out, bitterly.

Elyse looked up, shocked, as she stared at Erwin's slouched back. Anger and bitterness was starting to course through her, and she was hurt beyond words with what Erwin just said.

"Are you fucking kidding with me, Erwin? I said I was sorry, did I not? It's not like we can't do damage control—"

"There you go again with that naïve head of yours. We fucking can't do damage control. I already received calls from stock holders that backed out because they think that we're divorcing. Do you get it, Elyse? Your father's company is starting to go down because you don't know how to be _fucking_ responsible." Erwin shouted, angrily, turning towards her.

"Oh, don't you fucking dare. You want to talk about responsibility? How about fucking returning to your damn wife after finding out that she's fucking pregnant?" Elyse yelled at him, not realizing what she had just said.

Erwin seemed to be taken aback by that, but then, a dark look crossed his face as he stood up and approached her, swiftly, grabbing her arms.

Elyse flinched, but she stared at his face, stubbornly holding on to her pride as she met his darkened gaze with her angered one.

"What do you mean, Elyse?" Erwin asked, his breath smelling sour from all the alcohol he just consumed.

"You know what I mean, Erwin." Elyse replied, her voice soft but adamant.

Erwin didn't say anything. Instead he let her go, and he stared at her, as if trying to read her.

That's when Erwin began to laugh, clutching on to his head, and Elyse stared at him, trying to remain calm.

Erwin finally stopped laughing and he sighed as he looked back at her. Without saying anything, he walked past her. But, Elyse wasn't about to let him go so easily.

"So, is it true?" Elyse asked, softly, the anger within her not subsiding.

Erwin paused at the doorway, and he didn't bother to turn back towards her to answer.

"Yes."

Erwin left as soon as he answered, so he didn't see or hear Elyse fall to the floor, sobbing.

* * *

Elyse didn't sleep that night. Instead, she stayed outside on the balcony without a blanket, embracing the cold.

Her heart was numb especially now that she knew her life was over.

Her marriage was officially a sham in her mind and heart. Her brother was gone. Her theatre would be flooded with the press, so she would also have to avoid that. Her kids, her poor kids, were going to be suffering throughout this whole ordeal. Her friends, too.

 _Everything is so fucked up_.

Elyse's thoughts were scattered, and all she had been doing was sobbing on and off as she stared at the waves crashing against the rocks, listening to its lulling melody.

Erwin, the one she had trusted through everything, had gone back to a stranger, one that hated her and her him.

His words hit her and she didn't care if he was inebriated. She did stupid things when she had been drunk, but at least, hers turned out to be a miracle of life. Erwin's turned out to be a shattering of whatever the fuck their relationship had been.

She couldn't blame him about how angry he was. He had every reason to be mad at her slip-up, but he didn't have to insult her throughout the whole thing.

Closing her eyes, Elyse found herself waking up to the sun shining on her. She got up, groggily, dragging her feet towards her bathroom.

After showering and getting dressed, Elyse walked downstairs and she had hoped to be greeted by excited children and a smiling Nifa and Dieter, but all she saw was an empty living room and heard a quiet one at that.

Disappointed, Elyse walked to the kitchen and she was surprised that she didn't see Nifa. Thinking none of it, Elyse cooked her own breakfast and she began to eat and drink her coffee with her usual routine.

After cleaning up her dishes, Elyse bounded up the stairs to her room to grab her phone so she could see why her kids were missing, but she paused when she saw that Erwin's office _and_ bedroom door were wide open.

Should she approach it?

Thinking better of it, Elyse returned to her room to retrieve her phone. Once she did, she regretted it.

All she saw was texts from Hanji, Petra, and Freida, asking what the hell had happened between her and Erwin and why was she kissing Braun.

She also had missed calls from her father. And, she bet that his ten voicemails were him being _very_ angry.

Throwing her phone back on her bed with a groan, Elyse began to massage her temples, trying to calm the pounding headache that was starting to hit her.

The sound of the front door opening and Elyse walked outside of her bedroom and down the stairs. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise when she saw Mike and Nanaba walking inside, hesitantly.

Nana looked at her, sadly, while Mike, the usual quiet and observant one, _glared_ at her.

"Hey, guys." Elyse greeted, softly. She was surprised when Nana ran up to hug her.

"How are you holding up?" Nana asked, softly, and Elyse knew that the look in her eyes were of pity and that's when Elyse knew that they were also informed with what had happened.

"I'm okay. I was just wondering where the kids were." Elyse said, awkwardly pulling away from Nana's hug.

The hesitant look that crossed Nana's face as she shot her husband a look made Elyse react as soon as Mike shot his wife a warning look.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Elyse asked, alarmed, thinking immediately of her kids.

"Did Erwin not tell you?" Nana asked, quietly.

"No, he didn't." Elyse stated, desperate to find any clue on where her children might be.

"Nana, let's go. We don't have to explain anything to her. Let Erwin do it when he gets back home." Mike said, trying to get his wife's attention.

That stung Elyse, but she knew that Mike was upset at her for cheating on Erwin with Braun, but then again, Mike didn't know what the real relationship between Erwin and her had been.

"Please, just…I need to know if my children are okay…" Elyse trailed off, trying to meet Nana's eyes.

Nana bit her lip, and with one last look at her husband, she faced Elyse, clasping her hands.

"They're going to be staying with us for a while, Elyse. Erwin asked if they could until the whole press thing died down. Especially now that-Elyse, wait!"

Elyse ran out the door, and she hailed down Dieter and the driver as they were talking in their corner. Surprised, they raced to where she was heading and they were even more surprised when she started to bark orders as she entered the car.

"Miss Elyse, are you okay?" Dieter finally asked after a moment of silence on the road.

"No, I'm not." Elyse said back.

Nothing else was said.

* * *

Elyse ignored all the press as they clamored around her as she struggled to get in the building. Dieter was doing his best to shove them out of her way. Once she entered the building, she noticed that they were all wide-eyed and whispering with each other.

The words that were being said were enough for Elyse to try and hide her face as Dieter walked by her side, glaring at the people.

"She's actually going to show her face _here_?"

"You didn't see? The boss's wife was caught kissing another guy."

"I bet she's here to sign the divorce papers."

Elyse entered the elevator with Dieter, and she took a deep breath as the elevator doors closed.

"I'm sorry about what's going on. I'm sure that this is all a misunderstanding." A voice said from the side of the elevator.

Elyse lifted her head up, and she was surprised when she saw that it was the elevator attendant that had always smiled shyly at her that had spoken.

"Thank you." Elyse said, softly, and she smiled at the boy, who blushed in return.

When the elevator doors opened, revealing the waiting room before Erwin's office, Elyse thanked the attendant and walked out of the elevator, remembering why she was here.

What she didn't expect was the glare from Isabelle as soon as the secretary saw her.

"May I help you?" Isabelle asked her, coldly.

Elyse was taken aback, but she managed to stand her ground, "I'm here to see Erwin."

Isabelle narrowed her eyes at her, "He's busy right now. I can take a message for you."

Elyse was exasperated by Isabelle's behavior, but she also wasn't going to be turned away especially since she had to go through all of that chaos downstairs.

"Isabelle, please. I need to speak to him." Elyse persisted, tiredly.

Isabelle regarded her for a moment, her demeanor still cold, but she sighed and nodded. Isabelle picked up the phone at her desk and dialed a number.

"Hey, your…wife is here. I tried to tell her that you're busy, but she's persistent." Isabelle said to the phone, and Elyse flushed at how Isabelle talked as if she wasn't there.

As if Elyse wasn't standing there and hearing every word.

"Okay, I'll let her in." Isabelle said finally. She hung up the phone and she pressed the button that unlocked the doors to Erwin's office.

Elyse gave her a hesitant nod of gratitude, but before Elyse could reach the doors, Isabelle's voice stopped her.

"You know, I thought you were different even if you were younger. Seeing you with him and the kids, it had made sense, but then again, looks can really be deceiving." Isabelle hissed, angrily.

Shame and sadness washed over Elyse, but before she could respond, Dieter's voice behind her replied for her.

"I would watch my mouth if I were you, Miss Isabelle. You don't know shit." Dieter replied, smoothly.

Elyse, surprised, turned to face Dieter, and he smiled at her, encouragingly, motioning towards the opened office doors.

Shooting him a look of thanks, Elyse entered Erwin's office, ready to face the scariness of her situation.

* * *

She didn't expect Erwin to just be standing in front of the windows, drinking whiskey. Elyse expected him to be throwing himself with work, maybe scheduling a press conference, but the broad-shouldered man stood tall and dark amidst it all.

"How can I help you, Miss Elyse?" Erwin asked from where he was standing.

Elyse shuddered in the formality and professionalism in his voice, but she persevered with why she was here.

"Why did you send the kids away without telling me?" Elyse asked, strongly, her voice getting angrier since the reminder that her kids were away from her made her realize that Erwin, no matter how mad and disappointed he was with her, had no right to send them away without her knowing.

"They need to be safe. I'm not about to shove my kids in this unforeseen drama that the press will undoubtedly pursue." Erwin replied, nonchalantly.

"You could have told _me._ " Elyse persisted, angrily. Erwin turned to her then, placing the empty glass on his office table, and the expression on his face was one that shocked Elyse.

It was like looking at a stranger, one who was annoyed and professional at the same time. He was looking at her like she was a mere unpleasant business partner that he didn't want to deal with.

"I'm sorry, I thought since you did your own thing, I would be able to, you know, make sure my kids are safe." Erwin said, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.

"That's not fair and you know it." Elyse said, her voice starting to slightly waver at how mean Erwin was being towards her, still.

"You really want to talk about fair? How about the fact that I've been dealing with upset business clientele about how if I can't please my wife, the heiress of the owner of the business, then maybe I'm going to be kicked out soon by her father. Or how about the fact that the kids are terrified by the press because they're shouting at them about how their parents are going to be separated soon." Erwin said, staring at her, every word piercing her heart.

"Erwin, I'm sorry, okay? I really am. I didn't know that it would be—"

"Of course, you didn't. You _never_ know because I'm the one always taking care of it. This time, no one can take care of you anymore."

Erwin's words were shaking her to her very core, and she knew that it sounded like he was saying…

"What are you saying?" Elyse asked, softly, hoping that he wasn't doing what she thought he was doing.

The office doors opened revealing middle-aged men who were dressed in specialized Army uniforms, one that reminded Elyse of her brother after watching him leave those years ago from their home back in France.

They seemed to be unwanted also after seeing Isabelle's annoyed face before the doors closed. Elyse turned to Erwin, who stared at them with hooded eyes, but the paleness of his tightened fists gave Elyse an inkling that he didn't want to deal with them either.

Among the faces, Elyse could make out one familiar one: Mr. Nile Dok. He caught her gaze and he smiled at her, politely, before turning to face Erwin.

"Erwin. It's time for you to make your choice." Mr. Dok said, starting the talking after a moment of tense silence.

Before Erwin could answer, Elyse and him were interrupted by his office doors opening. Isabelle rushed in with Dieter following, and before Elyse knew it, Isabelle shoved her phone in Elyse's face.

"You need to see this."

Confused and terrified at the expression on Isabelle and Dieter's faces, Elyse looked at what Isabelle was showing her and she widened her eyes as she saw the headline.

 **ANSEL ACKERMAN IN HOSPITAL AFTER HEART ATTACK**

Erwin must've seen the headline too because he got on his phone, already calling her father's people, demanding to know why they had to be informed through the news.

Elyse couldn't focus on what Erwin was saying because she was ready to just faint right then and there. The pressure of everything and the fact that her life was already falling apart was enough for her to want to disappear.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Erwin hung up the phone, angrily.

Elyse turned to him, and she stared at his unreadable face as he looked up at her.

"Your father is awake, and he's asking for you. You can take the private jet." Erwin finally stated, his voice void of any emotion.

"And what about you?" Elyse asked, remembering that this office was surrounded by Army men and a secretary and a bodyguard.

"As you can see, I'm busy here." Erwin stated, motioning towards the group of men that were politely standing side-by-side in some formation of some sort.

Elyse didn't know what to say, but it was if a revelation hit her as soon as she looked up and saw Nile's face as he looked grimly at her.

" _Erwin thought the Army was more important than coming back home to a pregnant wife…Erwin never returned to Marie after that…"_

The conversation that she had with Mr. Dok seemed to be ringing over and over in her mind as she stared at the shiny medals on the men's' uniforms.

Everything was chaotic, but for some odd reason, Elyse was piecing her chaotic thoughts together, and it was starting to make sense to her in her own twisted way.

But, before she reached a revelation, she shut herself down, refusing to accept the heartbreaking end that concluded in her mind.

Elyse didn't say anything else as she numbly left the room without even saying goodbye to anyone there.

She was tired. She needed—no, _wanted_ —to get away. She wasn't allowed to see her kids. She wasn't allowed to go to the theatre. She wasn't allowed to be _human_.

"Dieter, where is my father?" Elyse asked, softly, as she entered the elevators with her personal bodyguard.

Dieter, already looking saddened when he stared at Elyse, looked down at his phone.

"Mr. Smith said that he's in your family home in Germany." Dieter told her, softly.

 _Ha, he tells my bodyguard and not me._

Elyse didn't even let that bother her. Whatever Erwin and her had been was gone. Elyse had seen it in his eyes, the way he talked to her, and the actions that had her reeling on who this person was in front of her.

And, now, she had to focus on going home to the family that she had started off with. The one family that she had on and off trouble with due to her father controlling her life and the fact that her and her brother were not talking.

 _Does Levi even know what happened?_

Elyse began to wonder, but could she even be able to talk to him? She could already see the disappointment and upset in her brother's eyes as she envisioned how it would be talking to him about everything that had gone down when he was away.

That's when another thought hit her about what Erwin had said about how their kids had been terrified when the press shouted at them about how their parents will separate. Her heart broke as she imagined Eren yelling at them, Armin crying, and Mikasa whimpering. It was all too much.

And, this was all her fault.

Elyse closed her eyes as she walked with her head down out of the building and into the car, ignoring the clamor and the screams.

She didn't start to cry until she entered the car.

* * *

They landed, quickly, and Elyse breathed a sigh of relief when she remembered that her family home in Germany was in a secluded area compared to the German hotel they had been staying for her uncle's funeral, but still…

She hadn't been in her German home since her mother…passed away.

But, her father was suffering, and Elyse knew that it wasn't the time to start pitying herself out of all people.

She thanked the driver as they arrived at the Estate, and Elyse's heart swelled up with the memories that began to hit her as she arrived at the courtyard, inhaling the clean air that she had enjoyed as a little girl.

Granted, she had been her children's age when she had lived here, but she remembered memories that had made her happy.

Her father teaching her how to play the piano. Her mother teaching her how to cook. Her mother teaching her how to garden over there. Her brother teaching her how to sing. Her brother giving her the scar that was on her knee by accident as he tripped her over there.

The memories were there, and Elyse didn't know how to exactly feel about it all. Indeed, it was a refresher from everything that had been happening, but it hurt her to remember how _carefree_ she had been.

When she entered the house, she noticed that absolutely nothing had changed. She caressed the curvatures of the wooden furniture, and she sighed.

"So, when were you ever going to tell me about Braun or did father having a heart attack from your irresponsibility give you a damn wake-up call?"

And, Elyse turned around to face reality of it all, a harsh reminder that memories were only just...memories.

* * *

A:N/ Hey, guys! I know that it's been awhile, and I just want to thank you all for your patience and love for this fic once more. You guys are awesome, and hopefully, this whole chaotic chapter will make up for the lack of update.

This chapter was so sad to write, and I actually teared in a couple of parts LOL. SO, don't sob, please. (jk it's kinda meant to be sad and frustrating so don't be ashamed in crying just a little bit.)


	22. Chapter 22

A:N/ Wow. So, I'm speechless at what I've just found out, and if you guys know what I'm talking about since it has to do with AOT/SNK, please don't spoil anyone in your comments. But, other than that, it's ironic how I've had a depressing chapter before I found out about what happened in the newest update of AOT/SNK's manga. Anyways, I'm going to use my sadness to write this chapter.

Elyse belongs to me. Everyone else belongs to this insane genius named Isayama.

* * *

Elyse breathed in the cool air as she sat on the patio that overlooked the mountains in her family home in Germany.

She hesitantly looked at her brother, who was sitting from across of her, but he was too busy looking at the newspaper that was on his lap.

He confronted her the moment she got inside the house, and the memories that she had been embracing as soon as she walked in had crashed as she saw the dark look on her brother's face.

It hurt more when she realized that this was how they were going to talk ever since they had fought, and it was the last thing she needed.

She looked up when someone surprised her by placing a cup of tea in front of her and her brother, and she raised an eyebrow when she noticed that it was hired help from the look of the man's sharp suit that usually belonged to butlers.

She thanked the man, and she watched him leave and bow. Turning to her brother, she decided to ask the question in her mind, "When did we— "

"Do you think that father can all of a sudden walk after— "

Elyse bristled at the sarcastic tone in her brother's voice, and she picked up her cup of tea, one she had thought her brother had ordered to have some peace with her, to hide the frown on her face.

"Okay, I get it." Elyse interrupted her brother before he could finish his heartbreaking sentence.

It was a tense moment between them as silence engulfed them once more.

"Is he okay?" Elyse finally asked, willing to not be stubborn over the fact that their father was currently suffering.

"He's awake. That's a good sign according to the doctors." Levi replied, taking the olive branch that she was mentally offering.

"Was it really because of…?" Elyse trailed off, knowing that her brother could fill in the blanks. Levi finally placed the newspaper he was reading down, and he looked up at his sister, his eyes narrowed and void of any emotion that Elyse felt like she was staring at a stranger once more.

"If you call, pushing another reporter who ignorantly called you, 'a stupid whore,' in front of him and then collapsing right after the cause of a heart attack." Levi stated, coldly.

Elyse closed her eyes as she absorbed the hit. Her eyes began to tear up, and she opened her eyes to blink away her tears. She looked at everywhere but her brother, the shame rising in her.

"What's going on with you, Elyse?" Levi suddenly asked, softly, after a brief moment.

Elyse didn't say anything as she bit her lip, and she turned to face the view of the mountains with the setting sun painting a pretty picture.

A better picture than the one in her life.

"You know when you pretend so much that you start believing that once, for _once_ in your life, you can be happy." Elyse asked, rhetorically.

Levi didn't answer. Instead, he watched her carefully and he hummed in agreement.

Silence took over both of them once more. Elyse embraced it, trying to gather her thoughts and the emotions that were rising as she felt the barrier she had tried to set up before she landed within her break.

She missed her brother, and more than ever, she needed him. But, would he forgive her? More than that, would he understand her?

"You know father didn't let me get married once." Her brother said, breaking the silence. It also didn't help that he had decided to drop that piece of news while she was drinking her tea.

Elyse spat the tea out, and she slowly turned to her brother, shocked.

"I'm sorry?" She asked, trying to see if she heard her brother correctly.

Levi shrugged and motioned for the hired help as he placed a request for coffee.

"I was supposed to get married, but father didn't let me. He had wanted me to finish Uni, so I can take over the business when he was ready to step down. I got angry because I was tired of him breathing down my neck. I planned to elope, but then he stopped me right before I got to the church. I didn't even get to explain to the girl I left there." Her brother said, nonchalantly.

Elyse blinked, trying to process what her brother told her. Questions plagued her mind, and she knew that her brother was slightly amused at the expression on her face.

She opted in scowling at him for being _amused_ in this situation.

"Wait, what? Married? To who? When did this even happen? Where was I? What even…" Elyse trailed off, feeling the upcoming pounding headache building up as she massaged her temples.

"You were already in Julliard. I had just come home for a break from the Army, and Erwin actually commanded it. He saw something that I didn't, and he went behind my back to have me kicked out for a while. Piece of shit, but he was right. I needed a break. And, he also gave a break to someone that I…" Levi trailed off, and Elyse noticed the faraway look in his eyes, as if he was seeing something in his mind for the first time in years.

"Erw—He gave a break to someone in the Army, too?" Elyse asked, confused slightly, also the pang in her heart as she tried not to think of how selfless Erwin was.

She still didn't deserve or even want to say his name. Their fight still burning in her memory.

"Petra. He gave a break to Petra, too." Levi stated, and Elyse could hear the softness in his voice as he said her name.

Confused, Elyse was trying to piece all the information her brother gave her.

That's when it hit her, the feeling of shock hitting her harder than the hot tea that spilled from her hand and on her dress.

"You and Petra?" Elyse asked, softly. The awkward exchanges between them flashed in Elyse's mind as she tried to make sense of what her brother was telling her.

"You and her…You were going to marry her?" Elyse asked, letting it sink in as her brother stared at the coffee in his hands.

"Yes, I was. Like I said, father stopped me before it could happen." Levi stated, still staring at the tea cup in front of him, holding it in that odd way of his.

Elyse remembered the story her aunt had shared about why her brother had held his cup in that fashion.

He had broken one of their mother's favorite's when he was a child by accident.

"Have you talked to Petra after that?" Elyse asked, trying to focus on the subject at hand.

Levi turned to his side to face the mountain view and the darkening sky, "Not really."

"Why not?" Elyse asked, a little angry at her brother's rudeness of the situation, thinking of Petra all alone in that church.

"At first, I was ashamed. Ashamed that I was stopped by father and that I let him stop me. It wasn't long before I was simply just ashamed at…myself." Levi sighed that last part.

Elyse raised an eyebrow at her brother, noticing the uncomfortable tone in her brother's voice.

"At yourself?" Elyse asked, curiously.

Levi nodded, taking a long sip from his cup, "I... had realized that I was grateful that father had stopped me because…I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to be married, I was just doing it to piss father off."

Elyse gaped, her lips trembling slightly, "Father knew, didn't he? He knew that you were just using Petra even when you didn't know it."

Levi stiffened at that, but he nodded after a moment.

"I hated him for such a long time, Elyse. For _everything_ he made me do, what he would make you do just so he could save his stupid company, but the man saved me from that _one_ mistake that could've broke the one person I cared for, all because of my stupidity." Levi said, quietly.

Elyse processed what her brother told her, and her eyes began to water as she thought of her father in his bed, probably hooked on to a machine.

She wasn't ready to go in and see that.

"Why are you telling me this?" Elyse asked, catching her breath as she felt her heart break when she looked up and saw the expression on her brother's face.

"Because…he's dying, Elyse. Father's dying, and I…I fucking—" Levi placed his hands on his face as he bent down, interrupting himself as he took deep, shaking breaths.

Elyse didn't know what to do, but her body did. She got up, motioning for the butler to leave them be, and she wrapped her arms around her brother's shaking form as he cried, silently.

As she closed her eyes, Elyse realized that it was her time to be her brother's comforter.

* * *

"Erwin knew, didn't he? He knew about what you and Braun had before, and he encouraged you to go after him." Levi said, walking arm-and-arm with his sister.

After Levi had his small breakdown, the siblings took one look at each other. Elyse's face, soft and warm, while Levi's face was distraught and tired was all it took for the tension between them to be lifted.

Their father had taught them family above all, and even in his own twisted way, the siblings knew that the concept of it was still true.

Elyse sighed, not ready to talk about it since her and her brother had made up, but she knew that it wasn't something to be avoided.

"Yes, he did. He told me to follow my heart and that he would help me." Elyse whispered back, clutching tightly onto her brother's arm.

Levi patted her hand, comfortingly.

"What happened?" Levi asked, encouragingly.

That's when Elyse explained everything to him. How it all started again with Braun, how he broke it off with her, and then how Braun had wanted to be with her again.

She thought it best, as of that moment, to keep what she had found out about Erwin to herself until after this whole thing with their father would be in the clear.

Her brother had enough to worry about and she wasn't about to add to his burdens.

Levi whistled low as Elyse finished her story.

"I can see why Erwin's upset though, Elyse. You should've said something to him about meeting up with Braun. I don't understand why you were so reckless." Levi scolded her, and by the careful tone in his voice, Elyse knew he was trying his best to not offend her, but he still wanted to make it a point.

Elyse, ignoring the flash of anger that her pride and stubbornness allowed, nodded, slowly, swallowing the bitterness of the reminder.

"I learned my lesson, Levi. I'm here, scared to go see what I've done to our father. Erw—He's angry at me. The kids…I can't see them until this whole press thing is over." Elyse could hear her voice breaking at the last part.

It took everything in her power to ignore the fact that her kids would be crying for her, and she for them, but this was her doing. She had to suffer the consequences.

Levi sighed and rubbed her back as she bit her lip.

"I heard that Braun quit the same day you had snuck out." Levi stated, trying to distract Elyse from the thought of the kids.

Elyse nodded, anger and bitterness settling within her being, and she embraced it like an old friend, "How could I be so stupid?"

Levi frowned, "Don't tell me you're putting the sole blame on Braun, Elyse. You need to take responsibility for your actions, too."

Elyse felt the shame again rise in her, and she reluctantly let go of the angriness that was starting to build within her.

"I know." Elyse finally said, accepting her shame with a slump of her shoulders.

The siblings walked for a while, and it wasn't when they were close to the house that Elyse realized her brother was staring at her face, and he would look away when she would look at him.

She finally stopped him when they reached the house, a bit miffed.

"Is there something on my face?" Elyse asked, wiping her face while trying to figure out what her brother was staring at.

"No, I was just thinking." Levi said, shrugging as he let go of her arm to take a seat in the living room.

"About?" Elyse prodded, as she sat down across from him, leaning into the softness of the chair.

"Why you would go to Braun when you have Erwin." Levi stated, nonchalantly.

Elyse processed his words for a moment until she turned completely red at what her brother was insinuating.

Technically, she _did_ turn to Erwin after Braun had broken her heart, and it had been absolutely physical rather than emotional. Yet, she wasn't going to admit to her _brother_ about their…sex life.

But, she did want to explain that she did lean on Erwin when it came to the kids and when she needed a friend at the end of the day.

It was definitely different with the relationship she had with Braun, and she had missed that type of relationship. But, Erwin was so…frustratingly mysterious that Elyse didn't see herself opening up to him the way she had with Braun.

"I did turn to Erwin after Braun had broken it off with me," Elyse began, and she knew that her brother was taken aback with the information she just dropped on him, "And, it was more…you know, rather than how I had an emotional connection with Braun."

Levi made a disgruntled noise, showing that he understood what Elyse was trying to say as she flushed once more.

Elyse waited, still flushed and uncomfortable with what she just shared with her brother, for him to respond to her, but he still looked like he was contemplating.

The siblings were interrupted, much to Elyse's relief, when Dieter walked in, swiftly.

"Sir, Miss Elyse, I think you need to see this." Dieter announced, and Levi gave him a sharp nod as Dieter waited for permission to continue his actions.

Elyse watched as Dieter picked up the remote that controlled the television in the living room, and he turned it on.

Elyse's heart jumped once she saw the man that her brother and her were just talking about appear before her.

Judging by the appearance of it all, Erwin had just called a press conference, and for once, Elyse had no idea what it's going to be about.

She was literally just sent away hours ago from his office, so she could fly to Germany and be with her father.

Has it really only been a couple of hours since? Elyse studied Erwin's face, and she could see the stress lines on his face more prominent than ever, and he wasn't just stoic; he was actually frowning.

Elyse closed her eyes for a moment, and she tried to calm her beating heart at the thought of what Erwin was going to even _say_ at this time.

A strong grip on her hand made her open her eyes, and she faced her brother, who gave her another squeeze. She smiled, half-heartedly, back. She looked at Dieter, and he gave her a sharp nod, directing his attention back to the T.V.

Elyse followed suit, taking a deep breath.

Erwin was talking to Mike on the side, and that's when Elyse realized that Mike was Erwin's personal bodyguard, as she watched Mike take the same position that Dieter would have done if Elyse was up on that podium.

 _That's what I meant by Erwin being so damn, infuriatingly mysterious. I don't even know his own personal bodyguard._

That would also explain the hate that Mike had shown moments ago when Elyse was wondering where her children was.

Erwin stopped talking to Mike, and Mike nodded as he gave a sharp nod towards the press. The press, who had been clamoring and taking pictures, began to quiet down, but Elyse's hear was just getting started in beating, strongly.

"I've called this press conference today to acknowledge what has been happening with my family these past two days. You've seen pictures, and you want answers. You've heard about my father-in-law, and you want answers. And now, there's rumors about me leaving for the Army that I had served for prior to my marriage to Elyse." Erwin began.

Elyse felt her world plummet around her at Erwin's last statement, remembering when she was in his office, their argument interrupted by the old men dressed in Army uniforms.

"I'm here to tell you that my wife was being forced against her will with that man. If you see how she reacted in the after photos," Erwin pointed out as someone projected the pictures that have been circling all over, and the reminder of the photos made Elyse grit her teeth, "You can see that _my_ wife was obviously pressed into the situation without her consent. Mr. Braun Lexington, the man who thinks he can do whatever he wants when it comes to someone else's wife, _will_ tell you himself once I get ahold of him."

The threat in Erwin's voice wasn't hard to miss, and Elyse suddenly felt pity for Braun, but she was even more surprised that her heart didn't jump at the thought of Braun being in trouble.

Shaking her head, Elyse focused on paying attention to what Erwin was saying.

"Elyse isn't with me today because of Ansel's condition. My father-in-law has suffered from a heart attack, but I hear that he has woken up, asking for his daughter. With his condition now, his eldest son and my friend, Levi, has given me the go to take over the company as my wife and he will be taking care of things overseas in Germany."

Elyse glanced at her brother the moment he was mentioned, and she narrowed her eyes as Levi didn't betray any sense of surprise or shock at the news.

 _Ah, so you guys get to make family business decisions while I sit here, stupidly._

The bitterness that Elyse was feeling, she knew that she didn't deserve to be so angry about being left out, but she really would've liked it if any of them could've given her a clue of what's going on.

Elyse bit her lip as she stared at Erwin's face, that annoyingly handsome face amidst all the chaos, and she knew that it was more than being bitter.

If Erwin and her weren't at the place where they were now, she was sure that Erwin would've told her, but the anger and resentment in his eyes when he told her to leave for Germany was the painful reminder her and Erwin wouldn't be talking anytime soon.

"As of the rumors that I will be returning to my Commander position in the Army, there is no confirmation on those things, and I would like to keep that to myself until everything is confirmed."

Elyse breathed a sigh of relief, and she ignored the quizzical look her brother shot her. She wasn't going to admit to her brother, the Army-loving man, that she was glad that Erwin wasn't leaving anytime soon.

"Right now, I'm asking if the press could respect my family as we are being personally scrutinized by people who look up to us and rely on us, business-wise. I especially would like to point out that Elyse and I have children who are being affected by this, and we are distraught over the fact that we have to be _parted_ with them because of all this chaos. Enough is enough, I have answered all your questions when I don't have to. So, please, give us the respect you did back then for a while especially in this dire time. Thank you." Erwin finished, shuffling the papers he had on the podium.

The press began to clamor as soon as Erwin gave a slight wave towards them, and Mike, who still surprised Elyse, made sure that the press wasn't following Erwin as he exited the scene.

The sudden darkness of the television set snapped Elyse awake, snapping her away from her thoughts and heavy heart.

"You okay?" Levi asked, turning to his sister.

Elyse offered her brother a weak smile, "I'm fine."

The lie was easy enough, but trying to act like it was harder.

* * *

Elyse hesitated as she watched her brother disappear into what had been their parent's room since they were children, but now, it was her father's hospital bed.

She didn't want to think of the other horrendous word that the doctors were referring to it as. She had held back her brother as they made the mistake of calling it a deathbed in front of them.

Elyse knew that her father had woken up, calling for her, but she knew that she was also the cause of what was going on.

She had been on the edge of falling off her controlled façade, but the moment she would walk into that room, she knew that the reality of her situation was enough to break through into this dream-like trance she had been.

Elyse bit her lip, and she began to pace around, trying to breathe as she felt the suffocation from her guilt and shame.

It wasn't long before her brother came out of the room that she didn't dare try to see what was inside, but the slight sound of a monitor beeping gave Elyse chills.

Her brother looked up at her, and Elyse swallowed, knowing fully well what he was going to say to her.

He didn't ask her, and he didn't have to.

Taking one deep breath, Elyse approached her father's bedroom door and Levi held the door for her. He looked at her, carefully, and Elyse returned the look, trying to reign her emotions in.

"He's asking for you, Elyse. He's been since the moment he woke up." Levi whispered to her. Elyse just stared at him, refusing to look inside before she was fully inside the room.

When she was about to leave to go inside, Levi tugged her arm and she looked at him, expectantly, "…It's not the same, okay?"

"I know." Elyse whispered back, and that's when she took another breath and walked past her brother and into the room that held her frail father.

* * *

Elyse tried to tell herself to breathe in and out in order to calm herself as she entered her father's room, but seeing her father, her usual brash and healthy father, frail and hooked up to beeping machines, made her almost unsteady as she walked towards him.

 _Don't be obvious, Elyse. Be comforting. Be the good daughter that you were raised to be._

Squaring her shoulders and shoving the discomfort she was feeling down in the depths of her very being, Elyse approached her father's bedside, gingerly.

"Hi, Papa." Elyse whispered to her father, as she got a closer look of his face.

Her depths of her very being must not be that bottomless because the discomfort and the sadness of the whole situation that she had tried to shove down came back as she watched her father's skinny, pale face. His eyes fluttered open, slowly, at the sound of her voice.

"Elyse, is that you?" Her father asked, strained and whispered, a voice she wasn't used to that came from her father's mouth.

"Yes, Papa. It's me." Elyse said, soothingly, her shaking hand grabbed his cold one.

Elyse fought the urge to whimper as she felt her father try to grasp her hand, but he groaned at the effort and opted to have her soothe him hand.

Elyse watched as her father struggled to breathe, and she bit her lip with her eyes watering at the mere sight of him. A knock on the door took Elyse's attention away for just a moment, and she was grateful for it.

"Come in." She called out, and she smiled slightly when a nurse bowed her head, and she walked towards the bed with a tray of medicine and food.

"Hello, Miss Elyse. I'm your father's nurse, and its time for him to eat and take his medicine." The nurse greeted her, grabbing the remote that adjusts the hospital bed that they had moved into this room.

Her father's slight cough and withered glare made Elyse shoot him a warning look back, realizing that her father wasn't going to be doing this willingly.

"Nurse, is it okay if I help him do it instead?" Elyse asked the nurse, sweetly, earning a small flinch from her father. Elyse shot him a quick smile, triumphantly, after the nurse nodded, seeming relieved that Elyse offered to do this.

The nurse excused herself, and once the door shut, Elyse stood up and scooped up some food while crushing the medicine inside. She brought the spoon up to her father's mouth, and he frowned, glaring at her.

"Papa, you need to eat and you need your medicine in order for you to get better." Elyse prompted, sighing as she motioned to the spoon.

Her father gave a weak scoff, "It doesn't matter if I eat or not. I'm dying either way."

Elyse dropped the spoon of food back into the bowl and she slowly made tight fists with her hands as she stared at the tray as if the was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Don't say that." Elyse whispered, her heart breaking at her father's words.

That seemed to soften her father as he gingerly touched her hand.

"Your brother can lie to me all he wants. I know when someone is dying. We all know, Elyse." Her father said, softly.

The last sentence made Elyse tense up, and she picked up the spoon that she had abandoned in her shock.

"Eat, Papa." Elyse stated, boldly yet softly, ignoring another angered look on her father's face.

The angered look seemed to wither away as he looked up at her, and he sighed as he opened his mouth to let his daughter feed him his meal.

Even if it was pointless.

* * *

Elyse was sitting down next to his bedside, quietly, waiting for her father to finish eating his last bite. When her father did, she handed him a glass of water, and he accepted it, slowly.

Elyse flinched at the sight of her father being so wearily slow, but she offered him a small smile to hide the sadness she was feeling.

Her father relaxed back to sitting up as Elyse placed down the empty glass back on the tray. Elyse got up and picked up the tray to set it aside on the bedside table. After she was done doing that, she walked back to where her father was.

She noticed that her father's stare didn't leave her face, and when she came back, he grasped her elbow, gently, as she sat down.

"Was it because I was a bad father, Elyse? Was that why you did what you did?" Her father asked, suddenly, his gaze endearingly sharp yet Elyse could see the sadness that he was attempting to hide as he confronted her about what happened.

Elyse felt her eyes start to water. So, this is how it was going to start. The conversation she was dreading to explain to her father about everything that the press had told him, and something that she wasn't prepared to talk about.

"Papa…let's talk about this later, okay? You need to rest." Elyse attempted to tell her father, but the narrowed gaze on his face made her flinch.

"I don't have time for later, Elyse." Her father said, pointedly.

"Don't say that. That's not fair." Elyse whispered, tired of fighting with her father when he's sickly and the fact that she was uncomfortable with the whole situation before her.

"It wasn't fair when you decided that your family isn't as important as your affair with that damn Lexington, who I told you to stay away from." Her father hissed, and Elyse could tell that it wasn't from anger, but due to the fast beeping from the monitor, her father was starting to be in pain.

Elyse took a deep breath, trying to relax and calm her own anger and stubbornness, so she could talk to her father about what really happened.

"He forced me to kiss him, Papa. Did you not hear what Erwin said in the press conference?" Elyse asked, suddenly wondering if her father caught up with what was happening.

Her father gave another weak scoff, "I know what your husband said, Elyse, but you and I both know that the man is good at speaking. Another perk of him being my son-in-law and a business partner. But, you, Elyse, I want to hear what happened from you."

Elyse closed her eyes, sighing, knowing that her father had caught her even if she didn't really try to hide it.

"He _did_ force me." Elyse insisted, weakly.

Her father sighed, "Oh, and did he force you to have an affair with him, too?" He asked.

That took Elyse by surprise, the shock on her face was readable, and she knew that it didn't surprise her father that she didn't know he knew.

 _The whole "she knew; he knew"_ _needs to stop_. Elyse thought as she massaged her temples.

"Your brother told me. I had my suspicions when you would say that you were going out, and your husband would let you, but he would send you with some other bodyguard other than your usual one, which was weird enough. Both of you sharing secretive smiles…Your brother and I aren't stupid, Elyse. Especially since you and Erwin's marriage is not one of conventional sorts. But, still. I thought you were smarter than that, Elyse." Her father managed to say, slowly, and Elyse looked down at the hands on her lap, ashamed.

"So, I'll ask you again. Is it my fault, Elyse? Was I not a good father?" Her father asked, again.

Elyse didn't look up as she answered, "No, Papa. You are not at fault. You are a good father. You've always been a good father." Elyse answered, softly.

The sound of her father's bitter laugh caught her by surprise and she looked up, confused. Her father's gaze wasn't on hers anymore. Instead, she noticed he was fiddling with something on his hand.

The shame hit her harder when she realized it was his wedding band.

"When your mother died…I was distraught, of course. I loved the woman more than anything in the world. She was the strongest and beautiful woman I had ever known. So, when the ups and downs with her health were happening, I never once doubted that your mother wouldn't live. But, she died. And, the world around me died, also. I went through many stages of grief, and…"

Her father trailed off, as he looked up at her. His gaze was unreadable for once, and Elyse didn't know where her father was going with what he's saying. All she knew was that him talking about her mother was a first since they never once talked about her, alone.

She didn't understand what her father was trying to get at. Maybe it was the medicine?

"I never once passed a certain stage of grief, and that stage was anger. I was angry at what had happened, so I placed that anger on someone I blamed the moment the love of my life got sick." Her father paused, and Elyse let his words sink in.

The realization of her father's word were enough to make Elyse sick. She felt cold with the sickening revelation, and she felt no surprise or shock. Instead, she felt her body relax and numb as if she knew that this was a long-time coming thing, and she knew that this moment would come eventually.

She didn't realize it would be when her father was on his deathbed. How ironic, the parallels of her parent's demise being because of her.

Her father; heart attack because of her mistake.

"I told her to have an abortion when we found out that she would die after you were born, but she refused. She was adamant about giving birth to you." Her father continued.

Her mother; the moment she was born.

Elyse didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say. Of course, she knew. She knew the moment she walked in her parent's bedroom, looking at all the machines with her seven year-old wide eyes, realizing that the monitors weren't beeping anymore.

She remembered her teenage brother, standing next to their mother's bedside, looking down with despair written on his face. She remembered her father, sitting on the opposite side of the bed, his face buried in the bed.

She had bumped into a monitor by accident, and that had caught her brother and father's attention as their faces turned towards her. Elyse had remembered her brother's face getting soft, but her father's face was the one that was contorted in so much hate and anger.

He got up then, and he walked towards her, quickly, despite her brother's demands for his father to stop.

Her father's hand had tightened on her arm, his nails digging into her skin, the mark still there after so many years.

He dragged her towards her mother's bedside, and he made her look at her mother's dead body, so pale yet serene, but it was an image that haunted Elyse for years.

"Do you see this, Elyse? This is what you've done to her." Her father had hissed, despite her pleading cries.

That's when her brother came and pulled their father away from her, cursing at his father.

"Don't you fucking dare, Father. Enough. Mamman would've never wanted this done to her." Levi yelled at his father, managing to push him away so he could grab Elyse into a soothing hug.

Her brother had picked her up, and Elyse buried her crying face in his shoulder.

Yet, she had looked up, and she stared into the face of her father, one that was filled with distaste and anger towards her.

The steady grip of her father's hand on hers made Elyse open her eyes. Her cheeks felt wet, and she hesitantly placed her other hand on her face, confused.

That's when she realized she had been crying.

The realization hit her, and that's when she let go of the dam that she had been keeping inside of her ever since she was that little girl.

She remembered the next day, the day after her mother was declared dead. She was scared to see her father, but the funeral arrangements were being made, so it was mandatory for her to meet with her father.

She was sitting outside of his office, dressed in black and clutching on to the teddy bear her mother had got her for her fifth birthday. She remembered the shouting and the yelling that was shot back and forth between her father and brother's muffled voices.

Her aunt had found her there, following the sounds of the fighting.

When the door opened, Elyse remembered her brother's angered face turning shocked then sympathetic as he grabbed her hand.

"Elyse, stay." Her father's voice commanded, and Elyse stopped her brother in his tracks as he tried to get her to move, but she pulled her hand away from her brother's grasp.

She had turned towards her father, the kind face gone, replaced with sorrow and anger. She turned to see if her brother would follow, but he stood firm, his narrowed gaze warning her not to go.

But, Elyse obeyed her father.

She had run towards him, grabbing his hand.

Elyse remembered that memory clear as day because that was the day she had promised to be a good daughter. One that wouldn't disappoint her father because she had taken away something from him.

"Elyse…darling, please look at me." Her father's weary voice broke through her despairing and miserable memories.

Elyse obeyed once again, looking up and staring at her father, tears coming down her cheeks.

She saw the heartbreak in his eyes as he stared at her, and she felt his fingers curl around her own.

"You weren't a horrible father, Papa. Believe me." Elyse finally whispered.

Her father closed his eyes as she shot him with a bullet, and he sighed, a long weary one.

"Elyse, I wasn't. I know I wasn't. I blamed you for the longest time, not realizing that I was just a damn coward who didn't want to face the reality of it all." Her father stated, and he wheezed at the end of his sentence.

Elyse jumped up, grabbing his empty glass and the pitcher that was on the bedside table and she poured him another one. She helped her father drink the water, and after that was done, she helped him settle into his bed once more.

"Even, now, you are _still_ a good daughter." Her father said after a moment, patting her arm, gently.

"You had every right to do the things you did, Elyse. I hope you know that. That's why I asked you if I was a good father. A good father would have let his daughter follow her heart, but I did not even let you do that. I was blinded by my anger and my hatred that I didn't realize—"Her father began to cough and Elyse soothed his back, the tears coming back as she felt her father's thin body shake.

"Papa, you _are_ a good father. You let me do ballet, and you love my children. You have given the company to Levi when you and him are always at odds. Yes, you may have— "

"Blamed you for your mother's death since you were seven? Yes, I deserve Father of The Year." Her father said, interrupting her.

Elyse gave him small wry smile at that, and her father casted her an apologetic look.

" _As I was saying_ , you may have been horrible in the past, but you have always been good with keeping us healthy and alive." Elyse finished, placing a small kiss on the fingers that he wrapped around her own.

Her father didn't say anything as he stared at her. He smiled a small weak smile after a moment, and Elyse was struck with how soft it was compared to all these years.

It was the same praising smile he had given her when she learned to play his favorite classical piece on the piano when she had been only six years old.

"And like _I_ said, you still are the good daughter when I don't deserve it." Her father sighed, patting their intertwined hands.

A moment passed between them, and as if she had been holding her breath for fifteen years, she finally felt a relieved peace wash over her as she let it all out in one deep exhale.

The amazing feeling of calm was over the moment her father started coughing, reminding Elyse the dire situation that her father was in, even if they were finally okay.

* * *

Her brother didn't question about their time alone, and Elyse was grateful for it. Her brother gave her a small smile and she returned an even bigger one as she hugged him.

He didn't even ask about it when she had cried over and over again saying, "Finally, finally."

Elyse sat down on the patio that overlooked the mountains, sighing. It's been two weeks since she had arrived in Germany, and she heard absolutely nothing from anybody back home. She was worried and terrified, but she knew that if she tried to contact her children without watching out for the press, then there would be trouble.

She fiddled with her phone, trying to figure out if she should—

"Yeah, Freida, she's here. Hold on." Her brother's voice sounded behind her, and Elyse jumped at the interruption.

Her brother raised an eyebrow at her, amused, and he handed his phone to her, giving her "take the damn phone" look.

Shocked and annoyed at her brother's intrusion of her privacy, Elyse whipped around to glare at her brother, and she had no choice but to accept the phone.

"Hello?" Elyse said, softly.

The scream on the other line made Elyse wince and she took the phone away from her ear for just a moment to let Freida scream to her heart's content.

When Elyse couldn't hear Freida's screams anymore, she felt safe to put the phone pressed back to her ear.

"Nice to hear from you, Freida." Elyse sighed.

"You have _so_ much shit to explain. Like, for example, you weren't fucking Erwin, but Braun? What the fuck, Elyse. Have you _seen_ your husband? I mean, compared to Braun, your husband is a fucking _Adonis_ , yet _Braun_?! Also, the theatre is worried about you, and we haven't heard from you. I assumed it's because you were busy in Germany with what's going on with your family—my sincerest hope that your father is doing fine—but _Braun,_ Elyse, _Braun_?!" Freida screeched through the phone, and Elyse winced again.

"Freida, I know, okay? It was stupid, and it's over. How's the theatre?" Elyse asked, trying to ask one question at a time, knowing fully well when Freida is like this that it's better to take it one question at a time.

"The theatre is fine. We've only been practicing due to what's been going on, but Erwin scheduled the new production to start in a week." Freida said that last part a little hesitant.

Hearing Erwin's name after two weeks of silence, Elyse ignored the feeling of resentment, and she persevered with asking the question that burned her mind the moment Freida mentioned it.

"Who's going to be the leads?" Elyse asked, quietly.

"The lead male will be Braun's understudy, Schuyler, and…I hope this is okay with you. I'm going to be the lead female." Freida hesitated, but that immediately brightened Elyse's mood.

"Freida, that's amazing. Good, I _need_ you to be the lead." Elyse stated, excitedly. Freida seemed to sigh in relief and Elyse giggled, missing her friend.

As if reading her thoughts, Freida sighed, "I miss you, Ely. I know it's only been two weeks, but it's weird being in your theatre without you."

"I miss you too, Freida." Elyse sighed, leaning into her chair.

"…It's been quiet here lately, you know? No Estate parties, no conversations, and no more of your family." Freida offered, trying to continue the conversation.

"I know. It's kind of surreal with what has been happening…how's everyone?" Elyse asked, trying to keep herself at bay with the questions that were bursting in her mind.

"Well, ever since the press craziness, Petra has been missing due to being Erwin's assistant and all. Last time I talked to her, she was pretty stressed. Hange…rejoined the Army. Apparently, something big is happening with their unit, and they couldn't say anything about what was going on. Isabelle is actually helping out with the theatre, saying that she owed it to you. Whatever that means." Freida said.

Elyse smiled at the end, knowing fully well what Isabelle meant. Elyse's heart started to beat a bit faster with the next question she had in mind.

"How…How are the kids?" Elyse asked, her heart beating faster with every second that Freida was quiet over the phone.

"I actually visited them a week ago. Apparently, they had been in Nana's house for the time being, but Erwin decided to take them back to your Estate. Guess him begging the press to leave you guys alone worked—Elyse? Are you crying?"

Elyse couldn't help it. She didn't have any clue what's going on with her kids, and hearing about them from someone else was too hurtful.

"I just miss them, that's all." Elyse managed to say, and she felt her brother's hand on her should as he comforted her.

"Oh, Ely, they miss you, too. They thought you were going to come home with me, and they saw that you weren't there. Mikasa was already clinging on to Erwin, crying for you. Eren demanded answers while Armin held him back from throwing a tantrum. It's chaos, really." Freida said, trying to soothe Elyse.

That didn't help Elyse. All she could think about was Mikasa holding on to Erwin, sobbing, with Eren, screaming, and Armin, pleading. It was the worst scenario in her head.

The last question didn't help Elyse's emotions at all.

"How's…Erwin?" Elyse asked, carefully.

Freida seemed to pause at that, but she sighed to cover up her hesitancy.

"He's busy most of the time, from what I've seen. I think the other reason why Mikasa was clinging on to him so much was because she was afraid that he'd disappear, too…Oh shit, Ely, I didn't mean it that way..."

"No, no, it's okay. Keep going." Elyse knew that she couldn't hide the tremor in her voice which made Freida hesitate even more to continue.

"When I visited, he looked…tired. As if he hasn't been sleeping since the press conference. He was the same Erwin, charming and handsome, but somehow, he seemed off. I can't blame him though. Which brings me to my question that has been nagging me ever since I found out. Care to explain about Braun?"

Elyse sighed, "You know what Erwin and I had wasn't a real marriage, so when Braun walked back into my life, I had something that was real. And, then, Braun broke it off with me, so I was heartbroken for a while. Out of nowhere, he calls me saying that he wants to talk to me about something. And then, you know what happened."

Elyse kept out the part of Erwin's hidden past that she had found out because…she still had to face Erwin about that.

Freida made an annoyed noise, "Oh, Ely, this is all messed up. I'm not sure what to say anymore. I think you actually made me speechless for once."

Elyse laughed, "I guess I have."

* * *

Elyse walked into her father's room, following the usual procedure that she adapted to when the nurse was away.

Her father smiled at her, and she smiled brightly back at him.

"I heard that you got a call from your…interesting friend, Freida." Her father greeted her, putting down the newspaper that he held.

Elyse sighed and rolled her eyes, "Did Levi tell you everything that has been happening with me again?"

Her father shot her a scolding look, "Your brother and I are worried about your well-being, of course."

Elyse smiled, but she didn't say anything as she approached her father's bedside with his usual tray of food and water.

She settled down on the chair next to his bedside, watching him carefully.

Her father ate, quietly, while Elyse grabbed the newspaper off his lap and she began to peruse through it. She noticed one headline that pertained to the Army yet again, but her attention was caught elsewhere when her father placed the tray on the bedside table.

"Why haven't you called Erwin?" Her father asked her.

Elyse dropped the newspaper on her lap, a bit taken aback.

"I'm sorry?" She asked, softly.

"Elyse, why haven't you talked to your husband yet? Surely, you called him to ask about your children at least?" Her father asked her, pointedly.

"Papa…it's complicated right now." Elyse said, placing the newspaper back on the bedside table.

"…You know when Erwin told me that he impregnated you, I was enraged. Of course, I had that…plan for you, and this man in front of me was essentially telling me that the plan was ruined. I asked him what he was planning to do now. He looked me, straight in the eye, and said, 'Well, I'm going to marry her, Mr. Ackerman.'"

"I mean, that's Erwin for you. He puts duty above all." Elyse whispered, the harsh memory of Erwin's dark past engulfed her mind.

"I had asked him why. I pointed out that you were young—yes, hypocritical I know since I was going to marry you to a grandfather—and that his life will be put off-track. He smiled and told me that he said he had a feeling that the way you guys met and the fact that you happen to be pregnant is a sign that he's willing to accept."

Elyse's heart skipped a beat at that, but she shook her head as if trying to get her mind back on track.

"Papa, I don't get what you're trying to say."

Her father sighed, "Elyse, you know what I'm trying to say. You've been denying it the moment you got here with your actions and the way you sigh and sulk."

Elyse flushed at that, but she tried to remain calm and apathetic.

"Papa— "

"You miss him, Elyse. It's _normal_ to miss your husband." Her father pointed out, tired of his daughter trying to hide.

Elyse closed her eyes at that, and she bit her lip at the fact her father had pinned down.

"It's not like that with me and Erwin, Papa. You know that." Elyse pointed back, trying to hide once more behind witty words and acting like she didn't care.

The phone next to her father's hand began to ring, and her father smiled wryly at it as he picked it up to see who it was. He answered it after a moment, "Ah, just the person I wanted to talk to. How is everything?"

Elyse couldn't hear the other person on the line, but she knew her father had been taking phone calls now that he was feeling better. She decided to busy herself with clearing her father's tray as she got up and picked it up.

She left the room, giving her father a look that said she was excusing herself and he nodded.

She went into the kitchen to place the dirty dishes in the sink, thanking the help as they took over. She noticed that her brother was busy watching something on the T.V., but she noticed that he was falling asleep while watching. She thought it best not to bother him.

She returned to her father's room, and her father motioned for her to come inside as he handed her the phone. Confused, Elyse involuntarily grabbed it and the headpiece on her ear.

"Hello…?" Elyse greeted, hesitantly.

"Elyse, it's me." The sound of _his_ voice was enough for Elyse to stumble against her father's bed a bit. Her father grabbed her arm, weakly, and Elyse immediately felt bad that her father was using his weak strength to help her.

She pushed herself up, shooting an apologetic look at her father, who just nodded back in understanding.

"E-Erwin?" Elyse asked, sitting down on the chair she had abandoned moments earlier.

"Yes, it's me. How is everything over there?" Erwin asked, getting straight to the point. Elyse tried to hear anything in his voice that would hint at what he's feeling, but of course, the King of Apathy was just as unreadable as ever.

"Everything's okay. Levi and Papa are okay." Elyse answered, and she immediately wanted to hit herself for sounding like a little girl.

But, what else was she supposed to say? Erwin was on the phone after three weeks of not talking to each other, and their last conversation was a fight.

"That's good to hear." Erwin replied, his tone casual and smooth. Elyse, suddenly scared that Erwin was going to end their conversation, thought of her kids.

"How are the kids? Are they okay?" Elyse asked, softly.

"They're fine. They've been busy with school." Erwin replied, casually, and Elyse could hear the shuffling of papers in the background.

Elyse took a deep breath at that, remembering that her kids already started school. Her heart began to break at the thought of her kids, smiling and chattering about school. Oh, how she wished she was there with them.

Just like that, the anger and resentment of being separated from her kids returned. And, it must've showed on her face because her father was already reaching for the phone.

"You had no right, Erwin. You know that." Elyse whispered, darkly.

That seemed to make Erwin pause from his paperwork.

"Excuse me?" Erwin asked, and Elyse felt the cold chill of satisfaction when she heard the small anger in Erwin's tone.

"You didn't even _ask_ me about the kids. God, you didn't even _tell_ me. I woke up to them gone without any explanation from you. How could you?!" Elyse asked, her voice growing hysterical.

Erwin was quiet on the other line, but she could hear his breathing getting deeper and longer as if he was trying to control himself.

"You _listen_ here, Elyse. You didn't _ask_ to go out and meet Braun, neither did you _explain_ to me of what you were trying to do. Even now, I don't understand why you met with him. You _owe_ me so many things, Elyse, but do you see me asking you for anything?" Erwin asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"That's a fucking low blow, you fucking—"Elyse felt the phone taken away from her as her brother appeared from behind her.

"Hey, Erwin. It's Levi, I'm going to hang up now. You guys are stressing out my dad. Bye." Levi hung up, and he handed the phone to his shocked father, who stared at his daughter, appalled.

Elyse, realizing what just happened, grew red in embarrassment. Her father just heard her curse like a sailor for the first time.

"Papa…I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to hear that." Elyse explained, lamely. Her father shook his head, sighing.

Her father didn't say anything, but he gave her a pointed look.

"You said that you and Erwin don't have a normal marriage, and of course, that's understandable, considering the circumstances of how it happened. Yet, you guys fight like a normal married couple." Her father stated, motioning for Levi to leave the room.

Levi nodded, smirking at Elyse and Elyse could hear his thoughts at that moment as she glared at him.

He was practically gloating that she was the one in trouble this time and not him.

Once her brother left, Elyse sighed.

Before she could say anything, her father chuckled at her troubled expression. He waved her off, expressing how tired he was, and Elyse was thankful for being dismissed.

She didn't know if her heart can handle talking about her damn husband anymore.

* * *

Elyse felt her heart being full for the next two weeks, surrounded by laughter as her father and brother had conversations every day. It was as if their father wanted to make up for their missing family time, and it had made Elyse, even her own brother, very happy and relaxed.

They hadn't been like this since the last time they had lived here as a family with their mother.

It was noticeable though. The fact that her father was getting visibly weaker and sicker was something that was unspoken between the siblings. The doctor would shake his head after every check-up and Elyse worried for her brother as he would scowl at the hospital staff in anger and annoyance.

"They're doing whatever they can, Levi. Cut them some slack." Elyse pleaded with her brother.

Levi simply nodded, but she didn't miss the way of how he clenched on to the glass of alcohol tighter.

Elyse knew that the end was near when her father called on her brother and her, individually. The doctor had come out to personally tell them that, and Elyse swallowed, hoping that it would lubricate her suddenly dried up throat.

"Why is he…?" Elyse trailed off, the realization hitting her as soon as her brother gulped another glass of whiskey in one shot.

"No, no. Is it already time?" Elyse asked, her voice trembling. The doctor nodded, solemnly.

"There's nothing else we can do, Miss Elyse." The doctor informed her.

"Just leave." Levi said, darkly. The doctor shot Elyse a look, and she returned an apologetic one. He nodded, understandingly, and he left, leaving the siblings by themselves.

"Go first, Elyse. I need to…ready myself." Her brother said from his corner. Elyse felt her heart clench at her brother's slight tremble in his voice.

Elyse nodded, and she kissed his cheek, softly, before leaving.

She entered the room, slowly and quietly. She nodded as the nurse passed her, who smiled at her, reassuringly.

Elyse swallowed once more as she stared at her father's pale, thin form. He was sitting up, propped up by pillows and the set-up bed, and he was hooked up on to too many machines. Elyse smiled at her father, who smiled at her.

 _Stay strong, Elyse._

She approached his bedside, grasping his hand.

"Hey." She greeted, softly, brushing a small kiss on his forehead.

She tried not to shudder on how papery it felt.

"Elyse, I want you to listen to me." Her father said through a weak voice.

"Yes, Papa." Elyse obeyed, bending down to meet his eyes.

"I'm very proud of who you've become. Your mother once said that you would take over the world since you took me the moment you were placed in my arms. I had regretted ever telling your mother to abort you, and your mother never failed to point that out to me whenever I felt myself doubting the decision she made. God, I am a stupid, weak man. Sometimes, I wished your mother took my place with raising you both. She would've been great and…Elyse, I hope you know that you were always loved. I may have been wayward with the actions and plans I had picked for you, but I'm happy that you are the way that you are." Her father began, whispering these things into her ear.

Elyse's eyes began to water, and she sniffled, softly.

"Also, I know that you will be taken care of now. You have given me beautiful grandchildren, and you have made a name for yourself, just as your mother did. And…Erwin…I know that you don't see it, and I understand why you don't…That man…he adores you, Elyse. And, if I dare speculate, he loves you."

"Oh, Papa," Elyse sighed, "Please, don't waste your energy with speculations like that."

Her father chuckled, "You remind me of your mother so much, darling. She would tell me to stop getting my head stuck in the clouds, but she was always stubborn. I can hear her in your stubbornness."

Elyse softened at that. "That's the first time you ever compared me to her."

Her father chuckled again. "That's because it hurt too much to ever see the similarities."

That's when Elyse couldn't hold it in anymore. She began to cry and cry, kissing her father's forehead, begging him to get better.

And as she felt her father's hand on her head, stroking her dark hair, she swore she heard him say, "I love you, my darling Elyse."

* * *

Elyse woke up on the couch in the living room. She was covered by her brother's jacket, and she noticed that the fireplace was lit. She could make out her brother's figure sitting in front of the fire, his hand clutching on to a glass of whiskey.

"Levi?" Elyse asked, softly.

Her brother didn't bother to turn around as he answered her, "Go back to sleep, Elyse. We have a long day tomorrow."

Elyse didn't bother to obey as she got up, suddenly alert.

"What do you mean?" She asked, warily, even though her heart was already beating, expecting the news.

"You know exactly what I mean, Elyse." Her brother answered, quietly.

Elyse felt like she had been hit by a truck, the realization sinking it, hard and painful.

But, she knew the moment that she would ask her next question, her heart would be already too broken to go back to sleep.

"When's the funeral?" She asked, softly.

She didn't even have to hear her brother's answer as she felt her world crash around her once more.

* * *

A:N/ This was a really hard chapter to write. So many emotions, especially with all the annoying manga updates going around. LIKE HELLO BLEACH? Anyways, so sorry that this took a while, but I took breaks because it was just really hard to write lol. Hope you will enjoy! And once again, thank you for your support. I am on Tumblr! .com. .com.


	23. Chapter 23

A:N/ Hi guys, I hope you weren't freaking out about the lack of update. I know it's been quite a while, but I do have an adult life to tend to, SADLY. But, here we go!

Elyse is the only adult I own, all the others belong to Isayama.

* * *

The preparations for her father's funeral was underway. Elyse breathed in the fresh mountain air as she sat back up. She looked at the scenery in front of her and sighed, her heart feeling heavy. She looked back at the stationary that she had been writing on.

The funeral invitations were starting to pile up.

 _Why are there such thing as funeral invitations anyways?_

Elyse bent her fingers as she stretched them out from all the work she had been doing. She looked inside the house and she noticed that her brother was still in the living room, absently watching the news report on their father's death while drinking his fifth drink of whiskey.

She contemplated whether she should stop him or not, but the way her brother's fingers were clutching tightly on the glass made her not go to him.

He needed to be alone.

Elyse remembered how her brother had buried his face in their father's deathbed, next to their father's pale face and closed eyes.

It broke her heart, watching as her brother's body twitched as he cried silently.

She knew that was her cue to leave. Her brother would never forgive himself or her if she saw him cry.

So, she left, pretending not to see.

"Miss Elyse, would you like me to drop these invitations off now?" The butler asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Elyse gave him a weak smile of approval, "Thank you," she whispered.

The butler nodded, offering her a sympathetic smile, and placed the invitations in a bag before taking his leave.

Elyse stretched as he got up, trying to see what's up next for the funeral. She relied on the list in her head because she couldn't rely on risking any emotions getting in the way as she made sure that her father would be sent away, properly.

Her father…gone…

Elyse shook her head, refusing to acknowledge that her father was gone.

Not just yet.

As if someone heard her thoughts, her phone began to ring and she pulled it out of her pocket, surprised.

The fact that it was Braun calling replaced the surprise with anger as she tightened her other hand, trying to calm herself down. She declined the call, and she took deep breaths trying to calm herself down after seeing his name.

He had not stopped calling her since the news of her father's death broke around the world, and Elyse kept ignoring his calls since he started. It didn't help that every single time he called, the wallpaper on her phone would light up.

Her kids' smiles were making it hard for her to stay away from them.

She tried to get back on track with the mental list in her head, and that's when she remembered something that made all the color in her face drain.

She had to call Erwin.

* * *

But, that didn't necessarily mean that she had to call him _now_. Elyse avoided that responsibility as much as she avoided Braun's phone calls. She skipped that part of calling Erwin in her mentality, and she focused on other things like keeping count of the RSVPs and making sure that the family home was clean enough for the wake.

Elyse was in the middle of thanking the help as they prepared for the wake when her brother came downstairs, looking disheveled and scruffy.

"Hey." Elyse greeted him, softly. Her brother merely nodded in acknowledgement as he wearily walked towards her.

"When's the wake again?" Her brother asked, and Elyse nodded at the butler as he asked her a question when he passed by.

"Tomorrow at 3." Elyse stated, turning to her brother. Levi nodded again, and Elyse noticed that he wasn't looking anywhere but at her.

She raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms and grabbed her phone from her hand.

She gaped when he dialed a number and shoved the dialing phone back in her hand and on to her ear. She looked at her brother, confused, and that's when she would have almost dropped the phone at the sound of the other voice through the phone.

"Yes, Elyse?" The voice asked through the phone.

If Elyse's glares were capable of producing fire, her brother would be burnt from head to toe.

"Uh, hi?" Elyse pathetically greeted, her hand immediately going to her forehead to massage her forehead.

"And the reason for your call is?" The voice asked, slightly annoyed as if they didn't want to be bothered.

Or more like, he didn't want to bother with his own damn wife.

"The wake is tomorrow at 3. Then, the funeral will be at 6." Elyse said, regaining her callousness towards her asshole of a husband.

"I'll see if I can make it." Was the reply she got.

And it wasn't one that she was going to accept.

"Are you fucking serious? You'll _see_ if you can make it? The man gave you an entire business empire to control with his son, and he even gave you _me_. And you can't be sure if you can make it to his damn funeral?" Elyse hissed in the phone, ignoring her brother's careful gaze.

"Elyse, calm down." Her brother whispered, placing a hand on her arm as if to grab the phone away from her.

But, Elyse glared at her brother as she pushed his hand away. "You're the one who did this." She mouthed at her brother before turning away.

"Like you said, Elyse, your father entrusted me with a business empire that has me working every waking hour. I can't promise to be there when— "

"Send the kids here then. They deserve to say goodbye to their grandfather." Elyse interrupted him, not willing to listen to him talk to her like a little girl.

The scoff that responded to her made Elyse's blood boil a little.

"Yes, let me send the kids to a press-infested event, Elyse. The press hasn't kept quiet ever since your little malfunction, and I can't guarantee the kids' safety."

" _I_ can take care of them. Dieter can take care of them." Elyse argued, heatedly.

" _Elyse,_ I don't trust it if I'm not there." Erwin argued back, his tone adamantly hard.

Elyse was sure she was tearing up at this point, fully frustrated and annoyed. She missed her kids, and Erwin can shove the stick up his ass even more if he wanted to, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"Are you saying that I can't take care of them?" Elyse whispered, softly, trying to maintain control of her voice.

The sigh that she received made her bite her lip, hard.

"Elyse, stop being naïve. Tell me, do you remember when you decided to go to Palais Garnier and then you almost, I don't know, got trampled over, risking your pregnancy? Or when you took the kids outside and almost got them blinded by—"

"Oh my God, Erwin, can you stop pointing out the past mistakes? The kids are safe, aren't they?" Elyse pointed out, trying to argue her points by aggressively attacking him back.

It went quiet on the other line and Elyse realized that she was panting at this point, using all her breath to just shout at the infuriating man on the other line.

"You are the last person that should be telling me about past mistakes, Elyse." Erwin finally stated on the other line.

Elyse felt like she was just punched in the gut. And, she knew that it was visible on her face because her brother looked at her, concerned.

Before she could say anything, Elyse heard a voice in the background, and as if on cue, her eyes began to water as she recognized the chatter immediately.

"Eren, how did you get in here?" Elyse heard Erwin ask from a distance and she could tell that he had placed his phone down on a surface in wherever he was.

"Can you play with us, Papa?" Elyse began to cry softly as she heard her son's voice for the first time in a while.

"Okay," and Elyse swore she could hear the smile on his face and she wanted so badly to punch his handsome face from the jealousy that rose within her, "I'll play with you guys in a bit. Let me finish up here."

Elyse closed her eyes and she wiped her cheeks, angrily, as she heard Erwin come back.

"Elyse, I have to-"

"Please." Elyse didn't even recognize her own voice, but she was desperate. She was desperate to see her kids and to be with them, and screw being angry with Erwin because all she wanted was to be happy after all this turmoil.

And, it must have shown in her voice because she could hear the pause in Erwin's hardened voice.

She knew that he was thinking about it. Being analytical and strategic, she knew he was thinking about if the kids would be really safe and if he could trust her to ensure their safety.

She hated it, but she knew he had every right to be the damn asshole he was being.

They could fight all they want, but she knew that the kids would always be his top priority in their fucked up, twisted idea of a family that they had tried to make but failed miserably at.

"Fine. The kids will be there only for the wake and the funeral." Erwin finally stated, in a compromising tone.

Elyse let out a sigh of relief and gratefulness, "Thank you, Erwin, I promise—"

"I'll be accompanying them. You're right, I should be there for it all and pay my respects. Besides, I'll be more comfortable knowing that the kids are right beside me." Erwin continued, cutting her off.

Elyse felt her heart drop at the news. She honestly didn't know how to react to that. The last time she had seen and talked to him, he was angry at her, and now, here she was, angry at him. The kids were going to be around them…

Elyse closed her eyes. She missed her children, and they deserved to say goodbye to their grandfather.

So, she and Erwin will have to play nice.

"Okay." Elyse agreed, softly, "I'll have Dieter pick you guys up."

Elyse hung up, and she stared at the phone in her hand as if it was a foreign object.

"So?" Her brother asked, softly.

"The kids are coming, and so is Erwin, my _loving_ husband. So, there's that." Elyse informed her brother, flatly, blankly looking at him.

Levi closed his eyes for a millisecond before opening them again to gaze apologetically at her.

"I'm sorry, Elyse. I didn't mean for it to be—"

"Antagonizing? Hurtful? Despicable? I mean, who would know when all we have been doing is fighting?" Elyse asked, laughing sarcastically.

Levi stared at her, his gaze turning a bit guilty.

"I thought it would be the first step." Levi offered, lamely. Elyse laughed, hollowly.

"Well, congratulations, it's the first step of ruining this funeral." Elyse stated, dropping her phone on the table loudly as she turned to walk towards the direction of where Dieter had been standing guard.

Elyse heard Levi shuffle along after her, and she bit her lip, trying very hard not to lash out at her brother.

Once Dieter came into view, Elyse forced a small smile as he gave her a slight nod of acknowledgement.

"Dieter, Mr. Smith will be arriving with the children in a couple of hours. Can you go and pick them up with the driver?" Elyse asked, politely.

The brightening of Dieter's face hurt Elyse as she saw the hopeful look in his eyes.

"I take it that you and Mr. Smith have made amends." Dieter announced, happily.

Elyse felt her smile get a little more forced, and she just coughed after a bit, hoping that Dieter wouldn't notice.

But, the regret in his slackened face made Elyse realize that she wasn't a good actress anymore.

"I'm sorry, Miss Elyse, I—"

"Go and pick them up, Dieter." Levi stated from behind her, and Elyse just patted Dieter's arm as he hesitantly turned to obey Levi's curt order.

As soon as Dieter left, Elyse turned to go back into the living room, determined to prepare herself for her family's arrival.

Elyse was stopped by her brother's hand on her arm.

"Elyse…I'm sorry. I just thought that it would be…I thought it would be fixed by now." Levi offered, lamely.

Elyse smiled wryly at that, gently taking her brother's hand off her arm before she faced him.

"Nothing has been easy for me, Levi." Elyse whispered, and before he could say anything else, Elyse walked away, ready to face the busy day ahead of her.

* * *

Elyse welcomed the guests as politely as she could. They grabbed her hands and expressed their condolences. They grabbed her face and kissed her cheeks, whispering their condolences. They patted her back, saying their condolences and asked if she was pregnant for the fiftieth time.

It didn't help when that the question reminded her of her family that was on their way.

What she didn't expect was the fact that an old lady had come up to her and asked about what Erwin was planning to do about the man that had forcibly kissed her.

"If my husband were alive, he would have beaten that man." The old lady, who claimed to be an old friend of her father's, stated, smiling.

Elyse giggled for good measure, trying very hard not to show the fact that she was grimacing inwardly.

"So, tell me, dear, what did your husband do to that despicable man?" The old lady asked, amused.

"Well, for starters, I made sure that man knows that I'm not someone that he should be messing with." A voice said from behind Elyse.

Elyse froze, knowing fully well whose voice that was.

It was weird hearing an amusing tone rather than a hardened one.

Elyse turned around, and she looked at the face of her husband. She was sure that she was gaping at the sight of him, not because it was she hadn't seen him in a while. It was the fact that he looked so… _different_.

It had been almost a month and a half since the last time they had seen each other, but Elyse was pretty sure that this appearance of his shouldn't have happened that fast.

For starters, he had some scruff now, and it made him look older than he really was. Granted, he was turning thirty-two soon, but now he just looked forty. Admittedly, Elyse thought with an annoyed sigh, he looked _good_ , but still. His face seemed slimmer and it made it seem that he wasn't taking care of himself when it came to feeding himself. Elyse saw that his usual navy suit seemed to slightly hang off him. The dark circles under his eyes also indicated that he wasn't getting enough sleep, and that made Elyse take another double take at him.

Of course, to every other woman, who were already staring at him, whispering to each other as they batted their eyelashes and giggled, Erwin Smith was still as handsome, but to Elyse, it looked like the damn man was hit by a truck compared to his usual appearance she was used to when they had…happier times.

Erwin's gaze was unreadable as he looked at her, with a trained smile.

 _At least that hasn't changed._ Elyse thought that to herself, bitterly, but she closed her slightly opened mouth, immediately, playing the polite hostess once more.

"Hi…you." Elyse greeted, trying to be warm and fuzzy, but the fact that he was here meant that the kids were here and she was anxious to see them.

Her eyes began to dart around, but she noticed that she couldn't see them anywhere or Dieter. It was also too late when Erwin already had his arm around her waist. The shock and electricity that jolted throughout her body at the reminder of his touch made Elyse want to run away, but she stood firm as they both smiled at the old lady in front of them.

"Hi, sweetie." Erwin greeted, softly, as he tightened his arm around her waist so she could look up at him. Elyse noticed that it was just a _bit_ tight to be affectionate, but she persevered.

She looked up and offered the sincerest smile she could muster, but she knew it wasn't working because Erwin _pinched_ her, hard.

She yelped, but she covered the yelp with a laugh as she looked at the old lady in front of them.

The old lady seemed to be taken by them, believing their little bit.

"You are a very special young man, Mr. Smith. You remind me of my own husband when he was very defensive…"

Elyse felt her attention trail off as she tapped her foot, slowly, trying very hard to pull slightly away from Erwin's hold, but Erwin, the smart bastard, kept the act up. He smiled and nodded in Elyse's peripheral vision and all she wanted to do was see if her kids were here like he promised.

"Miss Elyse?" The old lady's voice broke through her thoughts and Elyse stiffened at the realization that she had just dozed off.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you ask a question?" Elyse asked, sheepishly. The old lady simply smiled, one that made Elyse think of a sly fox.

"Oh, I see. You haven't seen your husband for a while. You must be very anxious to be…left alone with him." The old lady laughed, patting her heart for good measure.

Elyse tried very hard not to wince at that suggestion.

Elyse forced a laugh as she humored the old woman, "You got me!" Elyse said, trying very hard not to seem even more tense.

The old lady shook her head and laughed, "Well then, if you'll excuse me…" She patted their arms and Elyse kissed her cheek as she left.

Elyse smiled and waved before she whipped around to face Erwin, the smile still plastered on their face, knowing fully well that the guests were looking at them, whispering and guessing.

"Where are the kids?" Elyse asked, tiptoeing to whisper in Erwin's ear, making it seem that she was whispering sweet for nothings in her husband's ear.

Erwin placed his hands on her arms, steadying her, but Elyse could feel his grip getting tight as he bent his head down to whisper in her ear.

"They're still sleeping from the plane ride here. Dieter placed them in your room." Erwin replied.

Elyse felt her face brighten at that, and she felt extremely relieved that Erwin kept her promise. She began to warm up at the thought of it, thinking that she should thank Erwin.

"One of should keep their promises, am I right, Elyse?" Erwin asked, his gaze hardened as he looked her straight in the eye.

Elyse froze, and she loosened her grip on his arm sleeves.

"Oh, don't you dare, Erwin. We are at my father's funeral right now." Elyse hissed back, keeping that smile on her face.

She hoped it look menacing to him.

"Exactly. I promised your father that I would take care of you, and I haven't broken it once, Elyse. What did you promise your father?" Erwin asked, smiling a similar menacing one at her.

Elyse suddenly grew weary at their banter, and she stood back up straight, letting go of holding him. Erwin watched as she turned to face the other guests, her smile still on her face.

"I'll go check on the kids." Erwin said, finally, bending down to whisper in her ear even with her back turned towards him.

"You go do that." Elyse stated, coldly. Erwin chuckled, wryly, and to keep up with their charade, Elyse wanted to curse him when he placed a chilling kiss on her pale cheek before he left.

Elyse didn't bother to turn around and watch Erwin disappear into the crowd and up the stairs to where their kids were.

She paid attention to the next guest that came to greet her after they talked to her brother.

It was all she could do in order to distract herself from the mess that Erwin and he were just starting once more.

* * *

Elyse grabbed her brother's flask without question and downed it without any explanation. Her brother watched her, eyebrow and hand raised. After she was done with it, she placed it back in her brother's raised hand.

"So, I'm guessing you are having a horrible time during our father's wake." Levi stated, amused, pouring more alcohol in his flask.

"If I hear another story of how I was such a good little girl the last time they saw me; I will scream my head off." Elyse groused as she took a seat next to her brother on the patio.

Everyone was inside, talking about how great a service it was. Now, they were all getting ready to leave for the burial. Elyse was too tired to even argue the fact that everyone should be leaving now.

It didn't help that now that Erwin had arrived, he took over like he always did. He took over the damn event and he did it, beautifully. He delivered a speech, beautifully. He handled all the condolences, beautifully. He held her hand and made sure he looked every bit of a supporting husband, beautifully. He made sure that the kids were sleeping and okay, beautifully.

It was enough for Elyse to want to jump on a table and announce that Erwin Smith was really an asshole to her and only her and that he had some sordid past that would make everyone re-think about what they really knew about Erwin Smith.

And yet, all she had to do was see how Erwin hugged her relatives and friends of her father to bite her lip and make her get through this agonizing time.

Once she saw her brother outside, alone and drinking, she truly looked up and thanked her father for giving her a great brother.

"It seems like Erwin is doing pretty well once more." Elyse finally said, acknowledging her frustration with the fact that her husband was being _perfect_.

Levi hummed in agreement, "That's Erwin for you."

Elyse scoffed, grabbing the flask from her brother's hand again, not even acknowledging her brother's glare.

"That man is so fucking…infuriating." Elyse hissed, angrily giving back her brother the flask.

Levi raised an eyebrow at her, "Isn't he supposed to be the perfect husband for you right now?"

Elyse shrugged, and she could practically see her brother roll his eyes even if she wasn't looking at him.

"Elyse, he's doing his job as a husband and as the son-in-law of the man who just died. You're the one that's being a little bit unreasonable." Levi suggested, refilling his flask once more since Elyse already finished it off.

Elyse grunted in agreement, but she sighed as she turned to look inside the house. She noticed that everyone was taking their leave, with Erwin at the lead of the line of showing them the way to their cars.

A hand on her arm made her turn around to face her brother, and she noticed the slight sympathy in his eyes.

"He's doing what he's supposed to be doing, Elyse." Levi said, offering her the flask.

This time, Elyse pushed it away, looking down at her hands on her lap.

"Of course he is and that's what bothers me." Elyse whispered.

This time, her brother didn't say anything.

* * *

Elyse sighed as she thanked the help once more as they cleared everything. The burial was going to be in an hour and a half and Elyse was already starting to realize that they were going to be late.

Erwin was still helping all the old people get in their cars as they talked his ear off and he would patiently smile and listen to them, nod when need be.

But, she didn't let it bother her this time. She smiled to herself as she readied herself to go up the stairs to wake up the kids, but she was stopped by a strong hand around her arm.

She turned around in surprise, and her face slightly paled when she realized it was Mike that had stopped her.

Mike, Erwin's bodyguard and husband of Nana.

Mike, the one who hated her the moment the news of Braun kissing her broke out.

She couldn't read his gaze, and she quietly mused in amusement at how Erwin and her had similar gazes. Yet, this time, she was too scared to comment on it.

"Yes, Mi—Mr. Zacharias?" Elyse stuttered, trying to find the right greeting towards the once warm man whose cold hand was on her arm.

"Mr. Smith needs to speak with you for a moment, so if you could stay here and not bother the children." Mike said, his tone curt and direct.

Elyse felt a flare of annoyance and a small sigh of sadness at the callousness of the man she had once considered a friend. But, she nodded, not willing to argue anymore due to the craziness that has been happening ever since her father…died.

So, she sat in the living room, watching as Erwin smiled and chatted briefly while helping guests into their own cars as if he was a fucking perfect son-in-law.

Elyse tore her gaze away, staring at her hands on her lap. Even when her own family was in need, Erwin somehow had a way of inserting himself into the picture.

She sighed, deeply, her thoughts turning to her children and a part of her just wanted to be defiant and run up the stairs to be with them, but knowing fully well that the kids need their naps or they'll be hell to pay, Elyse sucked it up and sat still.

A figure moving towards her caught her attention, and she looked up, expectantly. She was greeted by Ewin's gaze, and she also noticed that her brother seemed to take over Erwin's escorting job.

"I see that you found a replacement." Elyse said, smiling at her own joke as she watched her brother stiffly talk to guests.

"He's doing what he's supposed to do, Elyse. Unlike some people." Erwin replied, stiffly, turning to walk towards the mini-bar to get a drink.

Elyse rolled her eyes. She should've known Erwin would somehow turn her joke into a jab towards her.

"Oh? And what am I supposed to be doing, other than grieving and being a good host?" Elyse asked, her tone turning into a taunt despite the glare that she knew she was receiving from Erwin, even though his back was turned towards her.

And as she predicted, Erwin turned to face her, and his face was scrutinized into a scolding glare, which seemed to anger her even more.

"It's not what you are supposed to be doing. It's what you were supposed to be doing. Such as being a good wife and mother, not gallivanting with some pathetic boy who can't even seem to choose whether he wants to be with you or not in the public eye." Erwin stated, coolly.

Oh, that struck a nerve.

"You let me, you pompous jerk."

"I let you? I don't recall you telling me that you were going to meet with him last time, and then for you, to come back and accuse me of things you have no business—"

"No business? I have every right to know who I'm married to." Elyse hissed, standing up angrily.

Erwin laughed at that, hollowly, his penetrable cool gaze making Elyse shiver slightly.

"Me and you both, Elyse." He replied, smoothly.

And, for once, Elyse felt a stab of guilt as she recalled why they were like this in the first place.

Before she could respond, a sound of pattering feet was getting closer and she turned around, her heart starting to beat fast.

The sight of her three kids, smiling and giggling for her, made her heart melt as she bent down and gathered them in her arms. She began to kiss foreheads and cheeks, scrambling to hold them tightly against her.

And that's when everything around her disappeared, and she forgot about everything that had tragically happened. All she could focus was on the fact that she was finally reunited with her beloved children, and no one, not even Erwin, could take that feeling away from her.

"Mama! I missed you!" Armin stated, placing his hands on her wet cheeks, and that's when Elyse realized she had started crying.

It seemed to be weird to Mikasa because she tilted her pretty head, quizzically, "Why are you crying, Mama?"

"It's because grandpa isn't here anymore, Mika." Eren whispered to his sister, tugging at his sister's long hair.

And just like that, Elyse was amazed at how big her kids were getting. It was only months ago that they were starting to talk and read slightly, but now…

Elyse ran a hand through Mikasa's silky hair, realizing how long it had gotten since the last time she saw her daughter and her heart dropped a little at that.

"Is that it, Mama?" Mikasa asked, grabbing her hand and placing a tiny kiss on it, comfortingly.

Elyse nodded, slowly, ignoring the fact that Erwin sat down next to her, another glass of alcohol in his hand.

"And I also missed you all so much." Elyse said, her voice breaking slightly. Eren seemed to puff out his chest in a dramatic fashion, "Well, we're here now, Mama! And we're going to make you happy now!" Eren stated, loudly.

A cough and a scolding gaze from Erwin made Eren smile sheepishly at his father.

"Don't be so loud, Eren." Erwin admonished, placing a hand on Eren's head. Eren nodded, his face slightly red.

"Well, well, look at this." A voice said, amused, and they all looked up and the kids brightened up, instantly, as they saw who it was.

"Uncle Levi!" They chorused, running to the man as he welcomed them by kneeling down to their level to embrace them individually.

Elyse watched them, smiling, as she relished in the view of her children and her brother interacting. How long had it been since saw this? Had it really been almost two months since she had been back in Paris with her kids?

That's when a sting to her heart happened as she remembered that her children had also used to clamor around her father.

Who she was about to bury six feet under the ground next to her mother.

As if Erwin read her thoughts, Erwin cleared his throat, standing up and placing his empty glass on the table. Everyone in the room turned to him, and that's when Elyse noticed the slight sadness in Erwin's face as he announced the heartbreaking truth of why they were gathered there in the first place.

"Let's get ready to go to the cemetery, shall we?"

* * *

Elyse smiled as Mikasa rested her head on her lap. Eren and Armin were animatedly talking to their uncle, and Elyse noticed that Erwin was too busy looking at paperwork on his lap. So, that meant he was too busy to fight with her, and Elyse was more than happy to have him distracted.

For the first time in months, Elyse felt at peace. And, she was going to enjoy it even though it would only last a car ride.

They arrived at the burial site, and Elyse made sure the kids got out first, safely, due to the press already being there. When she caught sight of them, Erwin was already giving orders to Dieter and Mike through the phone since they were in the car in front of them.

She even noticed how the kids huddled closer to Erwin as soon as they heard the shouts outside the car. Elyse's heart went out to them, and she knew that Erwin and her would always prioritize their lives before theirs as soon as Erwin's gaze met hers.

The press began to take pictures, and Elyse felt a flash of annoyance as soon as she saw a flash go off when the kids were out there being protected by Dieter and Mike. As Erwin got out, Elyse was the last person in the car. She opened the car door, and she looked up only to see Erwin holding out his hand towards her, a practiced smile on his face.

But, for once, she could read what he was thinking. She could see what he was planning.

In order to remained united in front of the world and their kids, they were going to act once more even though it was going to be hard.

Yet, Elyse knew that it mostly would matter to her father, who they were about to go pay their respects to.

So, placing a practiced smile of her own, Elyse placed her hand, the one heavy with the ring he gave her, in his own burdened one, and she took her first step out the car and towards the blinding light.

* * *

As soon as she got out the car, Elyse felt Erwin's arm wrap around her waist, making sure she was steadied before walking. Elyse grabbed his hand, tightly, and Erwin squeezed back in reassurance as they faced the cameras.

"Elyse, look over here!"

"Is it true that you guys are separating?"

"Elyse!"

The calls and the questions made Elyse's stomach turn, and she was starting to get a bit dizzy with all the flashes and the anxiety that was beginning to build up within her.

A steady hold on her waist and a light pressure of Erwin's lips on her forehead calmed her, and she leaned into the wanted affection as he kept walking.

She missed this. Throughout everything, she had missed his solid presence when she needed him, but as soon as they left the press and he separated from her, walking towards the kids to see if they're okay, she felt cold.

She remembered how much they mistrusted each other, how much secrecy that was between them, and how much they couldn't stand each other.

And, just like that, she was cold.

Elyse bowed her head as the preacher prayed and ended his sermon. She knew it was almost time for her brother to speak before they lowered the casket into the ground.

She glanced at her brother as soon as everyone opened their eyes, and she watched as he patted his left breast pocket in assurance. As if he knew she was looking at him with concern, Levi looked in her direction, his narrowed gaze cool and unreadable, before walking up to where the preacher once was.

Erwin, who was standing next to her, didn't even bother to glance at her as he stared at Levi, his own unreadable gaze somehow comforting.

As her brother took the podium, Elyse took a deep breath and exhaled as everyone sat down, readying herself for the tears that were sure to roll down her cheeks.

"Today, you will all say goodbye to a man who has changed your lives. And, he probably changed it for the good in his most terrible ways. Lord knows that the man had the most irritating ways of being stubborn and obnoxious about helping people since he somehow made it about himself at the end of the day," Her brother began his speech, and Elyse felt her mouth open in shock at the…bluntness of his _goodbye_ to their father.

"But, what you may not know him for is that…he did every irritating little thing because he wanted what was best for you. You see, I didn't know that. I hated my father with every fiber of my being growing up because the man wouldn't let me do whatever I wanted, so I did things that I didn't even want to do just to anger him even more. It was typical rebellion, but it was twice as more than typical because, you know, it's me."

Elyse smiled, slightly, shaking her head, joining the rest of them who laughed.

"But, my father…he would say he gave up on me or he would bring my sister in our fights and she would have to be a mediator, thanks Elyse, but he never did. He would secretly put money in my bank account when I thought I was truly going to have my last meal. He would help me when I was too prideful to ask or just too stubborn to realize that I did need his help…He was always there even when we clashed with very important things. He wasn't perfect. But, I'm not either. And, for some odd reason, that's what sucks the most. Because I won't hear him argue with me or correct me, and I'll miss that the most."

Elyse could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and she began to try and blink them away.

"He won't…He won't try to be the most annoying father known to man anymore, and he won't…be here for me anymore and, God, I just started appreciating him too…"

Elyse knew that her face was a wreck at this point, and even the handkerchief she held on tightly was soaked. She didn't realize that Erwin's hand was on her shoulder until he pulled her in and she found herself crying into his suit.

"I know that he'll be happy though. He's finally with the one person that loved him the most, and that's what I know comforts my sister and me the most. Thank you all for being here, and join my family and I as we say goodbye to the most imperfect man that had the greatest impact in our lives." Levi stated, ending his speech with a small stiff bow before returning to where Elyse was.

She stood up, immediately, hugging her brother, tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.

And everyone looked on as the siblings held on to each other, letting them mourn in their time of need.

* * *

Elyse watched them shovel the dirt atop of her father's black casket, and she turned to face the guests as they left, pasting a small smile on her face and ignoring the fact that dirt was being placed atop of her father's casket.

As the last guest left, Elyse was surprised to find her brother pulling her away.

"Elyse, I'm going to send you back with Erwin and the children back to Paris." Levi stated, finally coming to an abrupt stop in the cemetery.

Elyse widened her eyes in surprise, "Wait, what? I don't think that's a good idea…"

"The press should be keeping a distance for now. Erwin just told me that the public isn't happy that the press was here today. They're crying out for your privacy. Besides, it will be good for the public to also see that you and Erwin are doing…okay. Don't give me that look, you know what I mean." Levi admonished, pinching her cheek as she had grimaced at what he said about her and Erwin.

"Listen, I don't think that this is a good idea because I still need to finalize the paperwork about everything with you. Papa's will and all that shouldn't be only done by you, and you know that." Elyse pointed out the flaw in her brother's plan.

Levi sighed, but he nodded, slowly. It was too late though. Elyse saw the annoyed hesitation in his eyes.

"What is this all about? Why do you want me to go back to Paris so soon?" Elyse asked, suspiciously.

Levi looked at her, his gaze slightly amused yet sad at the same time, "I thought…it would be good if you and Erwin could fix things. It's pretty weird to see Mr. Commander all…riled up because of my little sister, who literally can't hurt a bug."

Elyse paused for a moment before breaking out into a laugh, "Riled up? Erwin is so annoyingly passive aggressive; I don't think you know the definition of riled up. And, hey, I killed that ant two days ago, mind you." Elyse huffed, pointedly.

Levi rolled his eyes, but he looked at her warily, "I guess…but that's not all. I'm going to have a bit earlier than planned."

Elyse raised an eyebrow at him, "What do you mean?"

"I know that we have to figure out father's will and papers, but you might have to do it alone because…duty calls." Levi finished that last part, warily, watching her sister carefully.

Elyse felt like she had been hit by a truck. He couldn't be possibly talking about…

"The specialized unit that I was a part of is calling me back to work on something. I'm sure you've heard about Hange returning also—"

"Are you sure you can do it?" Elyse asked, interrupting her brother. Floods of memories coming back to her as she remembered how her brother was when he came back. Fear and shock was ruling her mind as she recalled every bit of her brother's PTSD moments.

Levi placed his hands on either side of her arms, rubbing them reassuringly, "I will be. Besides, I don't think it's as serious as it was before. We probably are just recruiting and training new people. It won't be as bad."

"How do you know that?" Elyse asked, softly, her gaze now downcast as she shuffled her feet.

She felt like she was ten again, saying goodbye to her brother as he tried to reassure her that he would be fine and that he would return to her alive.

"I know because I have great people beside me. And, I can keep in contact this time." Levi promised.

Elyse's eyes were beginning to water, but she nodded.

"When are you leaving?" Elyse asked, scared to hear the answer he was going to give her.

"Next week, and you'll be leaving the week after, right?" Levi asked, confirming the plan.

Elyse nodded, and she hugged her brother, tightly, burying her face in his shoulder once more.

And, this time, her brother didn't say anything as he rubbed her back.

She truly felt like she was ten once again.

* * *

Elyse couldn't sleep that night. She was having trouble due to everything that had just happened. Her father buried, her brother leaving, and she would have to talk to Erwin about everything soon.

It was all too much, and Elyse was almost close to picking up an empty glass and pouring alcohol…Okay, maybe she already was drinking her fourth glass but that didn't mean anything.

It wasn't as if Erwin was around anyways.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you everyone was asleep."

 _Speak of the devil and he will appear._ Elyse thought to herself, bitterly, as she took another swing of her glass.

She turned to her side as she acknowledged her husband for the night.

"It's fine." Elyse said, curtly, trying to control her voice since she knew it would be a bit wavering cause, you know, alcohol.

Stupid alcohol.

Erwin seemed to also be surprised that she was drinking as he raised an eyebrow at her, pointing at the empty glass that she was carelessly holding.

"Yes, I know. I've had a rough day, okay? Let me be reckless." Elyse hissed, pouring alcohol into her empty glass and downing it again.

Erwin didn't say anything as he watched her, but the moment the glass was about to slip from her hand, he got to where she was quickly and stopped the glass from breaking as he grabbed it.

He also steadied Elyse as she swayed slightly.

"I'm fine." Elyse insisted, trying to push Erwin's arm away from her waist. But, Erwin wouldn't budge.

"I think it's time for you to go bed." Erwin said, quietly. Elyse peered up at him, and she scoffed at the soft look on Erwin's face.

She must be _really_ drunk if she thought Erwin was actually being soft towards her.

"What?" Erwin asked, confused. Elyse smiled and drunkenly patted his face.

"You don't have to pretend to be nice to me. I fucked up, and you want to keep reminding me that I did. So, go ahead and keep being passive aggressive and leave me be." Elyse sighed, finally pushing away Erwin's arm.

Erwin stared at her, and Elyse suddenly felt a bit flushed since she realized what she just said. But, she didn't budge. Instead, she tried to steady herself as she grabbed on to the railing of the patio.

But, she was stopped as the ground suddenly disappeared from beneath her and she realized that Erwin was carrying her inside and up the stairs.

"I suggest that you keep quiet since everyone is sleeping, Elyse. Stop moving. You won't be able to get free." Erwin hissed, quietly. Elyse still struggled, ignoring the fact that Erwin had managed to bring her back inside the guest room that Erwin was using.

Once she was placed down, Elyse growled at him.

"Stop that. You're not a dog, Elyse." Erwin sighed, scolding her with a look. Elyse growled even louder just to irritate him even more.

Before she knew it, Erwin placed a glass full of water in her hands.

"Drink this and sober up." Erwin ordered, and Elyse couldn't help but obey due to her inebriated state.

She noticed that as she was obeying, Erwin returned to papers that were placed on the bed. Elyse turned to face him, placing the empty glass down on the bedside table. She blinked and tried to focus on Erwin's face and she couldn't help but notice the haggard lines on Erwin's face. That's when she felt the guilt within her encourage the anger and resentment that she stubbornly held on to.

"Why do you look like shit?" Elyse blurted out. Erwin didn't even blink or twitch at her question.

"I've been dealing with a lot of things, Elyse. That's why I look like shit." Erwin replied, easily.

"Oh? You're not going to talk about how you head to deal with the press because of my fuck up? You're not going to talk about how you have to deal with the company by yourself because of my fuck up? You're not going to blame me for global warming for my fuck up?" Elyse asked, sarcastically, and she giggled as she spread herself out on the bed, wiling to annoy Erwin more.

"Don't be ridiculous. Global warming isn't your fault." Erwin replied once more, not even batting an eyelash as he paid attention to the papers on the bed.

Getting even more irritated, Elyse sat up and she pushed all of Erwin's papers off the bed. Erwin sighed, and he looked up after a moment of closing his eyes, which made Elyse happy for winning.

"Yes, Elyse?" Erwin asked, and Elyse felt surprise at the shockingly calm face that looked at her.

And, just like that, the feeling of missing him hit her, hard.

"…Do you really hate me, Erwin?" Elyse finally asked, softly. A part of her had been aching to ask him that, and it had been hurtful whenever Erwin talked down to her or glared at her. He had been a very big part of her life since the moment she let him in her dorm room, and she had to pretend that he wasn't in order to be angry and resentful too.

That question seemed to throw Erwin off, and he looked at her with a gaze that Elyse could finally understand.

Hurt. Sadness. Anger. And above all, compassion.

"No, Elyse, I don't." Erwin finally answered, wiping a tears from Elyse's face. She hadn't realized that she had started to cry.

"Then, why do you keep on holding on to one thing? I said I'm sorry and I've been listening to what the next step should be whenever you order me to do something because I feel horrible and I care about our family and I—"

"Because you're better than what you did, Elyse." Erwin said, interrupting her with a hardened gaze.

Desperate to see his caring face once more, Elyse moved closer to him, which seemed to surprise Erwin.

"Why do you keep putting me on a pedestal, Erwin? I'm human, just like you." Elyse sighed, her hands going up to his bearded face.

She didn't notice that Erwin closed his eyes as she caressed his face.

"Because you're not like everyone else, Elyse. You're human, but you're special. Don't you see that?" Erwin said, but Elyse didn't even know if she heard that right.

She was too busy paying attention to his face, his still handsome face even with the stress lines and the out-of-nowhere beard. Her eyes trailed down to his lips, and that's when she just wanted to feel them on hers.

And, that's when she kissed him, hard.

She just wanted to feel wanted by him again, not hated and disgusted. She wanted Erwin to be nice and caring towards her again. She was so tired of fighting with him, and she just wanted to feel _him_.

She could feel the hesitancy and shock as he grabbed her arms, but she wasn't going to let him break it off just yet. She missed being wanted and needed, so she persisted.

She smiled triumphantly as she heard his moan as she used that to her advantage to kiss him deeper.

Erwin's hands were now on her waist, and she knew that he was starting to cave in and she was more than willing to be embraced and caressed by him.

God, she was infuriated with him, yet she was in need of him. It was the most intense feeling she's felt about the man, and she thanked alcohol for enhancing the feeling.

She felt Erwin pull her closer to him, and Elyse wrapped her legs around him, instantly, and her body molded against his. He was finally responding to her kiss, and she was enjoying every bit of it as he bit her bottom lip, making her moan softly.

"Keep quiet, Elyse. This room isn't soundproof." Erwin ordered, lowly, as his lips began to travel down the column of her neck.

Elyse moaned in response. Erwin growled, lowly, placing his hand over her mouth as he continued his ministrations on her neck and collarbone. He used his other hand to unzip her black dress. Elyse sighed as he groaned when he realized she wasn't wearing a bra. He pulled the dress down, revealing her chest. Elyse's half-lidded drunken gaze met Erwin's own lustful one as he began to kiss her chest, knowing fully well that she's sensitive there.

Elyse arched her back, lying down on the bed, panting in Erwin's hand as she moaned. Erwin bit her chest, sucking hard to leave marks all across her chest. Elyse knew he was still frustrated with her, and Elyse welcomed his roughness.

She really needed to stop drinking alcohol. It was making her feel a bit too risky.

She gasped when Erwin managed to remove her dress with one hand, his other hand still on her mouth. Elyse's eyes rolled back as Erwin began to tease her sensitive lips through her underwear.

Erwin removed that barrier as soon as she was ready for him. Erwin didn't even bother to take off his own clothes as he simply pulled down his pajama bottoms. Elyse saw that he was ready to take her, and bit his hand as he entered her, roughly.

It had been months since she was intimate with him, so it hurt a bit since Erwin wasn't really… _average_. But, as soon as he started to move, Elyse knew she in ecstasy.

She arched her back, grabbing on to his hand as she moaned and sighed. She opened her eyes and noticed that Erwin was looking at her, his gaze intense and…possessive.

It wasn't long before she came hard and long, and she tightened around Erwin, making the man follow right after her.

He hovered above her, removing his hand from her mouth. They were both panting heavily for a moment.

Elyse blinked and that's when she realized that she just let herself fuck Erwin. Not have sex or make love, they literally just hate-fucked each other.

That must have crossed Erwin's mind too because he sat up, tucking himself back in his pajama bottoms and placing his elbows on his knees as he sat forward.

 _This is what you do when you get drunk, Elyse. You always somehow find a way to fuck with Erwin Smith, you stupid girl. Did you forget that this man is a fucking stranger to you? That he left his wife after she got an abortion for him?_

The resentment and hate were flying back within her, and Elyse felt herself crying as she sat up too.

Erwin didn't say anything as he got up and picked up her dress and underwear. He handed them to her, and Elyse took them, looking up at him with her tear-streaked face.

Erwin wiped her cheeks, slowly, his gaze going back to unreadable.

"You sleep here tonight. I'll…be in the living room. I need to work on these papers."

With that said, Erwin left with his papers and without another word.

* * *

Elyse woke up the next day to a slight headache and a heart full of regret and sadness. It didn't help that her brother informed her that Erwin had left to fly back to Paris.

 _That sounds about right. You and him have hate sex and then he flies back to Paris to get the hell away from you._

The bright side of things was that the kids were going to stay with her until she had to leave which meant she wouldn't be lonely when her brother would leave for the specialized Army unit.

Elyse let that sink in as she ate breakfast with her kids and brother.

She ignored the fact that the empty seat at the head of the table made her heart sink just slightly.

* * *

"Take care, okay?" Elyse pleaded with her brother as Levi adjusted his bag. Levi sighed and nodded for the millionth time.

"I'll be fine, Elyse. It's _you_ I'm worried about." Levi pointed out, "I need you to make amends with Erwin for the kids."

Elyse made sure that she didn't betray any emotion as her brother said Erwin's name.

"It'll happen when it will happen." Elyse stated, forcing a smile. Levi stared at her, but he nodded.

"Love you, Levi." Elyse said, hugging him once more.

"Love you too, Ely. And remember, don't let it be too late." Levi reminded her, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Elyse froze at that, but she forced a nod. Levi left her to go to his nephews and niece and say goodbye to them.

Elyse watched, but the last line her brother said to her didn't leave her mind for a while.

* * *

"Eren, please don't put your dirty feet on the coffee table." Elyse scolded from the living room as she heard Eren laugh.

She smiled once she heard the resigned, "okay," from the patio. It had been two days since her brother left, and the kids and her were going to pack soon for Paris. She had enjoyed her time with the kids, and she enjoyed it even more to share her childhood with them in her childhood home.

She had completely forgotten about her father's death, her brother leaving, and Erwin.

Erwin.

He hadn't really talked to her, and whenever they did talk, it was only about the kids. And then, she would hand the kids the phone. It had been a routine.

As if they were separated.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the doorbell rang. Elyse got up to get it, grateful for the interruption. She had sent the help away, insisting they took a day off since she wanted to distract herself.

Today went exceptionally well without the help and it's what Elyse expected since she looked forward to being alone with her kids.

But, what she didn't expect was the person that was standing before her.

"Marie?"

* * *

A:N/ Don't hate me! I know, I know. You guys are going to clamor about how it took so long for me to update this, and that means this cliffhanger will slowly make you guys crazy. Have no fear! I will try to update ASAP. I promise! I'm keeping my promise of finishing this story, so there's a start, right?

Comments are much appreciated because I just love hearing what you guys have to say!

Once again, thanks for your support and love!


	24. Chapter 24

A:N/ Hey guys! So, my senior year of college started, and I've been already busy so I'm very sorry to say that the updates will be very sporadic now. Don't worry, I promised I will complete this story. Anywho, I hope that your day is going well, and I hope that I've possible made it better with this update!

Elyse is the only character I sporadically own, Isayama owns everyone else!

* * *

"Armin, help your brother with his homework please. Mikasa, go take your nap, okay?" Elyse said to her kids, watching as they nodded obediently. Content with their responses, Elyse bent down to place kisses on their head before turning to go out the door. She smiled at them before she closed the door, and she noticed that they were too busy to notice.

She sighed, all was well with them at least.

As the door clicked shut, Elyse turned to go downstairs, and that's when she began to twist the engagement ring and wedding band on her finger as she began to slowly descend from the stairs. She started to bite her bottom lip for good measure, and she knew that from the metallic taste on her tongue that she had slightly bit _too_ hard.

She couldn't help it. She was too nervous to face the surprising guest that sat in her childhood home's living room.

Or should she say, her husband's ex-wife was sitting in her, the new wife, childhood home's living room.

When Marie's beautiful face had popped into her view moments earlier, Elyse greeted the obvious timid woman with a small, hesitant smile of her own. Of course, Elyse had been taken aback, and Marie seemed to expect that as she bowed her slightly in apology.

"Hello, Marie…what brings you here?" Elyse asked, slowly, as if she couldn't believe that her husband's ex-wife, the woman that had been pregnant with Erwin's first child, was in front of her.

Marie looked up, hesitantly, and Elyse could see the hesitancy and shyness in her baby blue eyes, and Elyse could tell that it took a lot of courage for Marie to be standing where she was.

Taking pity on the woman, Elyse ushered the woman in, with a soft smile.

"Come in and take a seat in the living room. Would you like anything to drink or eat?" Elyse asked, politely, as she closed the living room door.

"No, I, um, I'm okay. I would just like to talk with you if that's okay." Marie said, softly.

Elyse was surprised at how soft Marie's voice was being. Back in Germany, when Niles and Erwin talked to her, she had been normal and charming. But, then again, that was before Elyse had completely found out about everything.

But, that didn't mean Marie knew that she knew, or did she? Was that why she was here?

Elyse could feel a headache forming from all the curiosity. Shaking her head, she tried to get her mind back on track as Marie was still staring at the ground, shuffling her feet.

"Here, sit." Elyse said, gesturing towards one of the comfortable chairs in the living room. Marie sat down on where Elyse had pointed, and she began to fidget nervously once she was situated. Elyse had raised an eyebrow at that, but she sat on the opposite chair, the coffee table in between them.

Elyse had opened her mouth to begin talking, but the sound of her children running into the living room made her pause.

They were playing tag, and Elyse had looked at them, her gaze scolding. They immediately stopped what they were doing, and they noticed that their mother had a guest.

They bowed their head, sheepishly, as Elyse scolded them. It was then that Elyse looked up at Marie to apologize, but the tearful gaze that was on Marie's face as she stared at the kids hit Elyse with a pang of guilt.

She had forgotten about Marie's history with kids.

So, that's when she excused herself and the kids and brought them upstairs.

Now, here she was, about to talk to Marie about…what exactly?

That made her even more nervous and curious.

But, she had to face whatever this unexpected visit was anyways. And, maybe, she could finally figure out Erwin's past, true or untrue.

Elyse pasted a small smile on her face as Marie looked up at her.

"Sorry about that. They can get a bit rowdy at times." Elyse apologized, smoothly, as she sat down on the seat she had left moments ago.

Marie smiled at that, a bit sad, Elyse noticed, "Don't worry about it."

A moment passed between them and Elyse watched as Marie still fidgeted with her hands on her lap.

"…Elyse…is it alright if I can call you that?" Marie finally asked, still looking down at her hands on her lap.

Elyse laughed, lightly, at that, trying to hide also her nervousness at the situation they were in, "Of course, Marie. That _is_ my name."

Marie shifted at that, looking up to smile at her, but Elyse knew that it was one that was strained.

"Well, my…fiancé, Niles, calls you Miss Elyse. I told him that it was a bit weird, since you are a younger than us...oh please, excuse me, I didn't mean any offense by that—"

"Marie, calm down. It's fine." Elyse reassured, feeling pity for the older woman who was seated in front of her.

"Just call me Elyse since I've been calling you Marie." Elyse offered, politely, trying hard to remain the level-headed one because Marie was really proving that she wasn't at this point.

Marie nodded, shooting an apologetic look towards Elyse before lowering her head once more to take a deep breath. She looked up after a round of breathing, and she sighed. Her shoulders slumped for just a moment until she straightened up after.

"I've come here because…I actually came here to talk to Erwin." Marie said, her voice getting a bit stronger.

The memory of Marie stopping Erwin as Erwin and her were making their way to the elevator up to their suite made its way in Elyse's mind.

"Oh, well, he's not here. He flew back to Paris the day after…the day after my father's funeral." Elyse said, trying very hard to keep the bitterness out of her voice at the reminder of Erwin.

But, the bitterness wasn't only from the reminder of Erwin himself, but the little reminder in the back of her head that reminded her that the woman in front of her had some relationship with him.

 _Make up your mind, Elyse. Do you hate the man or do you—_

She cut off her thoughts by trying to focus on the matter at hand.

Marie didn't look miffed at being told that Erwin had left. In fact, much to Elyse's surprise, Marie looked like she expected it.

"I know. The man has been avoiding me since we divorced." Marie stated with a troubled sigh.

That surprised Elyse even more.

"I came here to talk to you because…well, because, I wanted to redeem myself in some twisted sort of way." Marie stated, wincing a bit at the end of her statement.

"I'm sorry, what? Redeem yourself?" Elyse asked, confused by Marie's statement.

"…It's a bit…sick about what I'm going to talk about, but I just…I really don't know how to talk about it with Niles or even Erwin…or anyone really. But, you, being married to Erwin and you having an inkling about Niles…Oh god, this is just all wrong." Marie finally finished, getting up in a hurry.

A bit shaken and confused, Elyse stood up, too, leaning forward to take Marie's shaking hands in her own steady ones.

Clammy, but steady.

"Marie, calm down, please. How about I get you a glass of water, maybe that will help you relax?" Elyse offered, sympathetically.

Marie, visibly taken aback, looked down at their hands and then up into Elyse's face, making Elyse flush at how serious she looked.

Marie's face softened and she laughed, softly, shaking her head, "What Niles said was true. You are very kind, Elyse. Also, very mature. I mean, look at me, I'm a mess."

The sound of Marie's genuine laughter made Elyse relax, also, and she flushed even more at the compliments.

Marie sat down once more after patting Elyse's hands, gratefully, and Elyse followed suit in her own chair.

"The first time I heard about you was over the news as I was eating dinner with Niles. We were both shocked and surprised for a moment, but, only for a moment, Erwin always was a very private man and you don't exactly know what's going on in his head. But, him being married to a gorgeous woman would be one thing, but being married to a _sixteen year old_ heiress out of the blue was very un-Erwin-like."

Elyse blushed at that, remembering _very_ well that she had been sixteen and, well, pregnant.

"After my initial shock, I was very happy to hear that he had married…again, and that he seemed very happy. Of course, Niles thought that Erwin had an agenda in his mind, and…I had believed that at first. I mean, it did seem too good to be true for Erwin to marry such a young, beautiful heiress," Marie said, making Elyse blush even more, but Marie patted Elyse's hand, softly, "But, that's when I saw you both at that ball in Germany. You looked absolutely breathtaking on his arm, and Erwin…I've never seen him glow that way. Even when he used to look at me."

That last line made Elyse widen her eyes as she almost forgot that Marie had also used to attend balls with Erwin.

"Oh…well, I don't know what to say, Marie. If you can understand that this is a bit awkward…I didn't even know he had been married, if I'm being truly honest. It wasn't until your husband had mentioned it to me when we were dancing." Elyse admitted, feeling sympathetic towards the woman.

Maybe Erwin had left to avoid Marie, not her. The sick, twisted feeling of triumph gave her a small high, but Elyse forced herself to shove that feeling down, guiltily.

Marie didn't even seem phased by that as she nodded, understandingly.

"I don't blame Erwin for not telling you about…that part of his life. He had been trying to find himself when I first met him, and of course, he was just as handsome as he is now at the time. Younger, understandably, and filled with life, I felt myself being drawn to him like a moth to a flame. He was sitting at a bar that I had been a barista at for a while when I first saw him. He had been coming with his army comrades at night after a tiring day of training. Women would throw themselves at him, and I would be curious as I saw him politely reject them while his other comrades were enjoying the attention of the women. Niles was part of that group. I actually was acquainted with him because of our parents, so that's why Erwin and them were always going to my bar. It wasn't until a bar brawl happened that Erwin and I actually talked to each other. Two men were fighting each other, drunkenly, and I had stepped in to stop it. Of course, they didn't care and they threw me to the side. Erwin stopped the men from trying to hit me, and he actually knocked them out and even dragged them out of the bar. I was taken, then. He smiled at me, and I felt like those women who wanted to throw themselves at him immediately." Marie began, shaking her head, amused.

Elyse couldn't help but feel slightly amused by it also, even though a twinge of jealousy unnerved her. That did sound like something Erwin would've done.

"And, that's when I began to talk to him, openly. He smiled when I joked with him, and he was always the gentleman whenever we would go on dates. Women, who had initially tried to get with him, were jealous of me because I was the first and only woman he brought out from what they knew about the mysteriously charming Erwin Smith. I felt like I was on a pedestal, like I was the most important person in the world because of him."

 _Sounds familiar._ Elyse thought to herself, slightly bitter. She knew that Marie was the first woman Erwin was married to, but it still hurt that he never told her about it.

"It was until after a couple of months of dating that he proposed to me, and I gladly accepted. He was then showing me off in ballrooms and such, and I found myself in love with my status as Erwin Smith's wife, that I didn't realize one thing." Marie stopped after a moment, her gaze seeming far-off.

"What didn't you realize?" Elyse asked, softly, trying to ignore the pangs of jealousy she had been feeling throughout Marie's story.

Marie half-smiled at Elyse before looking down at her hands on her lap, "I didn't realize that we were in love."

Elyse paused at that, and the guilt for feeling guilty was replaced with tremors of surprise and shock.

"In love?" Elyse asked, dumbly.

Marie nodded, looking up at Elyse then. Elyse could see the happiness in Marie's eyes dim into some sort of emotion of remorse.

"A man like Erwin Smith can give you the world, and you won't even notice that he's holding something back from you. It was like that for us for a while. I was busy being blinded by all the glitz and the glamor what he offered me. I didn't have to work nor did I have to worry for him leaving me. He was handsome and dutiful, and he never neglected me. That was until he called me to his office to tell me his news."

Elyse could hear the hardness in Marie's voice, and she dreaded what was going to happen next in Marie's story.

It sounded eerily familiar.

"He told me he was going to the Army to take a Commanding position. I was floored. I had thought he left the Army behind as soon as he married me. Yet, here he was, telling me that he had signed up for another term. I was at a lost to what I felt. Erwin apologized, but I could see that he didn't truly feel sorry. His fingers twitched as if he couldn't wait to go pack. So, I let him. I helped him pack, I watched him leave, and I waited for him to come back home."

"He came back home after his term, and I felt relieved. I thought that he would stay for good now, and that he had his fill of the Army. Imagine my horror when he simply came home just to tell me that he was leaving once more. That's when all the loneliness and confusion hit me. I accused him of marrying me only just to leave me. He fought back, saying that I should've known who he was when I agreed to marry me. And, he was right. But, at that time, it got me more frustrated. I told him that he manipulated me to marry him, and that I never wanted to see him again."

Marie paused then, taking a deep breath, and Elyse watched as Marie played with an engagement ring on her finger before she continued.

"We left it at that, and Erwin left to go to the Army once more. I felt horrible after a while, and I wrote to him, apologizing to him, telling him that I was wrong and that we could work this whole Army thing out. He wrote back, saying the same things, and he promised to be home soon. But, that didn't stop the loneliness within me. I...I was visited by Niles one day, and he made me feel...wanted and loved once more, and that's when we started an affair."

Elyse felt her mouth drop open at that, but she remembered that Niles had alluded to that in the way he talked about how their relationship had started. It would make sense also since Niles and Marie wasted no time in getting engaged from what she heard.

"Erwin came home to visit, and I pretended that everything was okay. I was a good wife, and it seemed that we were back to normal. He was about to leave for another stunt in the Army, but…that's when I found out I was with child.

Elyse closed her eyes. She knew this part. Niles told her this part, and she had never looked at Erwin the same again.

"I knew that it wasn't Erwin's."

Elyse opened her eyes, shocked at what she just heard.

"W-wait, what?" Elyse asked, not sure if she heard it right.

"I know, I know. Horrible—"

"No, can you repeat what you just last said." Elyse said, exasperated, trying to catch her breath and calm her beating heart.

"I-I knew the child wasn't Erwin's. It was Niles'." Marie stated, hesitantly, watching Elyse warily.

"O-Oh." Elyse managed to say, but she was sure that she looked as if a ghost just appeared before them.

Marie stared at her, concerned, "Are you okay, Elyse?" She asked, quietly.

Elyse nodded, slowly, "Yes, yes, I'm just a little overwhelmed."

 _By the fact that your story is drastically different than your husband's._

Elyse didn't know what to do with the bombshell she just heard. Niles had said…Niles had said that Marie had been pregnant with _Erwin's_ child. What was going on?

"Please, Marie, continue." Elyse managed to spit out, hoping that she didn't seem overly exasperated for her to continue.

Marie nodded, slowly, her eyebrows raised slightly.

"W-Well, I didn't know what to do. I didn't tell Niles. I was too afraid to tell him. And, I-I didn't want to lose Erwin. Besides, Erwin seemed overjoyed, as if the light that I could never see in his eyes when he looked at me returned when he saw that positive pregnancy test in the trash. Then, I told Niles that we had to end whatever we were doing. But, it was too late for me. I had fallen in love with Niles, but I couldn't…I couldn't betray Erwin. He gave me everything. He gave me a life that I was content with, even if…even if we were strained. So, that's when Niles came up with a plan. He said that I would have to abort the child then. If it wasn't truly Erwin's and it was his, then he couldn't live with the lie. So, I aborted the baby. I came up with the story of a miscarriage in my head, and that's when I called Niles to the house to tell him about the story I made up. That's when Erwin opened the door to the living room, his face showing that he heard every word that I had told Niles."

Elyse shuddered, thinking of how heartbreaking this whole story was starting to sound. Marie, stuck in a loveless marriage with someone she did care about yet in love with one of his friends. Niles, forced to abort his child so he could make Marie happy and save Erwin from heartbreak. Erwin, the mysterious enigma finding out about the affair and the baby was never his.

It all sounded too much like a soap opera, one that Elyse would've hated and never wished up anyone.

But, what made her even more lost and frustrated was the fact that Niles' story didn't sound like that. He made it sound like Erwin was the villain, when Marie was the one who is deeming herself the villain in the story.

Elyse didn't know who to believe.

Enough was enough. Elyse wanted the truth.

"So, what happened next?" Elyse asked, prodding for Marie to continue.

"Well, Erwin didn't say anything to me since he moved out the next day, and the last thing I heard was that he left for another Commanding position and I was sent divorce papers. I felt like…I had no right to question what he was doing. He…gave me so much more in the divorce than I deserved, even saying that it was his fault. For some odd reason, he had the papers saying that _I_ wanted the divorce due to abandonment which gave me more than enough for me to set up an Estate of my own in Germany. It was if…he blamed himself for not being there for me." Marie ended the story, her eyes now downcast as she stared at her hands once more.

Elyse didn't know what to say. What _was_ she supposed to say?

"That's why…when I saw him, looking happy and comfortable, I admit I was jealous. I couldn't give whatever it was that you gave to him, but I know that we weren't in love now." Marie said, looking up at Elyse, offering her a half-smile.

"What makes you say that?" Elyse found herself asking, softly.

"Because he's different around you. He shows you off, yes, but he…shines when he's around you. He never stops looking at you. He's…in love with you, Elyse. I'm truly happy that he is happy with you, Elyse. Lord knows that Erwin isn't a saint, but he's a man who deserves to be happy." Marie stated, smiling at her.

"Like I said, I came here to talk to Erwin, just so I could apologize thoroughly and tell him that I am happy that he is happy. I'm sorry that you were caught up in this, but I just couldn't stay quiet anymore, now that I heard that he's going to leave for another Commanding position soon." Marie stated, sighing.

Elyse froze at that.

"I'm sorry?" Elyse asked, softly.

Marie blinked in surprise, "Niles told me that Erwin just recently accepted a Commanding position…I'm sorry I thought you knew."

Elyse felt the ground beneath her disappear and her breathing began to grow a bit shallow. Was the room spinning or was she?

A knock at the door made Elyse snap back into attention. She could feel Marie's concerned look as Elyse got up to answer the door.

Elyse's hazel eyes widened as she saw the unexpected guest in front of her.

Niles Dok bowed his head slightly as he smiled down at Elyse.

"Hello, Miss Elyse. It's nice to see you again." Mr. Dok greeted, politely.

How could she have been so blind. She could see the glint of mischief in his narrowed eyes as he looked at her. She tightened her fists, as Niles looked over her shoulder to stare at his fiancé who looked surprised at his presence.

"Hi, my dear. I heard from the help that you came to visit the Smiths and I thought I would stop by to pick you up." Niles stated, greeting his wife.

Oblivious at the obvious tenseness between her fiancé and Elyse, Marie stood up and walked to where they were. She greeted her husband with a kiss on his cheek, and Elyse could feel Niles' gaze on her as Elyse looked away, trying to be polite amidst all the revelation she heard today.

"Why don't you wait in the car, my dear? I would like to talk to Miss Elyse for a moment." Niles suggested, gesturing towards the black town car parked in front of Elyse's childhood home.

Marie nodded. She turned to Elyse and grabbed her hands, "Elyse, thank you for hearing me out. Thank you…for being so kind, really."

Elyse pushed back all the confusing emotions down to regard the woman in front of her. She genuinely smiled back at Marie and placed two kisses on each sides of her cheek as a goodbye.

"It's not your fault, Marie. It takes two, I hope you know that." Elyse whispered in Marie's ear, not wanting Niles to hear what she wanted to tell Marie throughout it all.

"…You are really very kind, Elyse. I do hope we can be friends amidst all this." Marie whispered back, hugging Elyse.

Marie waved, slightly, as she walked towards the car. As Marie disappeared from view, Elyse turned to Niles.

"You lied to me." Elyse hissed, angrily. A huge load of emotions unleashed as Elyse turned to the man who was just as mysterious as her husband, possibly worse.

"I didn't lie. I simply tweaked parts of the story." Niles replied, smoothly, facing Elyse with a small unreadable smile.

"You…How dare you. You made it seem that—"

"Erwin was at fault? Of course, I did. I wouldn't have Erwin back in the Army if it weren't for you, Elyse." Niles said, his glinting eyes showing what Elyse needed to see to have Elyse grab Niles' arm.

"You fucking—"

"I did what needed to be done. You think I wanted to lie to you about something so sensitive? I got my orders from the top. They told me that for some odd reason that Erwin Smith was refusing to take his Commanding position at this important time because of his little wife and children."

"You make it sound like that's a crime." Elyse hissed, through gritted teeth.

"It is when it comes to family, Elyse. This specific case has to do with what happened to your uncle, Eren's true biological father." Niles reasoned, his voice growing a bit soft as he informed Elyse.

Elyse let go of Niles' arm in shock. The memory of Erwin and Levi talking about it in the limo when they had been in Germany. Her father talking about how he wanted them to stay away from their uncle as children.

It was starting to make sense, yet it ended up being more confusing.

"Erwin initially refused because we didn't have any evidence that your uncle was involved with the case, but when we did, he was about to ask _you_ for permission to leave. But, your little publicity stunt over Braun Lexington was the perfect opportunity to plant the seed for that lie. You believed that Erwin Smith wasn't the man you thought he was. You pushed him away, and you can take care of your children. So, Erwin took the job without any complication." Niles stated, with a sigh.

"…I wouldn't have denied him to leave for the Army." Elyse stated, in horror.

"That's the thing, Miss Elyse. I think Erwin knew that, so that's why he didn't think of leaving. He _wanted_ to stay with you and your children. The higher ups couldn't lose their best Commander, so they did what they had to do." Niles explained, and Elyse swore that she could see pity in his eyes as he bowed his head in apology.

"I truly am sorry, Miss Elyse, that it came to this. But, I can tell you this. I've never seen Erwin Smith in this refreshing light. He seemed like a good husband and a good father, I'm sorry that the greater good has taken that away from you." Niles offered, before turning his back in goodbye.

Elyse watched Niles' walk away, and she couldn't find the strength to wave back as Marie waved goodbye.

* * *

Elyse reached his voicemail for the tenth time that night, and she threw the phone down on her bed in frustration.

She couldn't think. She couldn't breathe.

She had to have the help tuck the kids in bed, claiming that she had been light-headed, which she was.

She was tired. She was frustrated. She was shocked.

She didn't know what to do. Should she take the kids and fly them back to Paris with her? But, the press would be there, and that would be terrible since she didn't discuss that with Erwin. Should she leave a voicemail? But, then waiting for Erwin to call back would be brutal.

It was if she was stuck in questioning mood and then slamming it down mood.

God, everything was so messed up. She just found out that Marie, poor Marie, was the one who had cheated only because Erwin made her feel lonely, which Elyse could understand. She found out that Niles had lied to her under order from the fucking higher ups in the Army just so they could have Erwin back in their fucked up arms. She found out that Erwin wasn't to blame at all, and she, being the _wife_ of Erwin, didn't trust him.

She could see the reason why he never told her about that past. She would've felt horrible, and she would pity him. Erwin didn't like pity. But, then she could see that he would be scared of doing the _same exact thing_ to her.

Elyse closed her eyes as she laid down on her bed, willing for sleep to calm the madness in her mind.

* * *

 _Three weeks._

 _THREE WEEKS._

Erwin hasn't contacted her in three weeks. It was enough to make Elyse grow mad. The kids kept her busy, but it didn't help that they kept asking where their father was and why hasn't he called in forever.

She felt horrible as she saw the drawings of her children. One had a drawing of Erwin carrying them. One had a drawing of them as a family. One had a drawing of Erwin and Maus, their beloved cat back home.

It was all too much.

Sighing, Elyse watched as her kids ran around in the backyard. They were supposed to be home in Paris at this time, but Dieter had told them that the press wasn't backing off and that, as their bodyguard, that he thought it was safe for them to stay put until Erwin would say otherwise.

Too bad Erwin wasn't saying anything.

It was already bad that it was flu season in Germany, and the kids had gotten it the week before. They had just started feeling better, but that meant Elyse would get it too.

And, true to her intuition, Elyse had started vomiting yesterday, so she opted to stay in the shade on the patio as her kids had their fun.

She stared at Eren as he took the lead to build mud pies, and she couldn't help but think of the secret case that Niles had talked about.

It worried her. All the friends she had made, Hange, Gunther, Eld, and Petra, have all gone away. It was unreal.

"Miss Elyse, you have a visitor at the door. Mr. Dieter insisted that you go see to him." The butler informed her, bowing in greeting.

At the sound of "him", Elyse didn't dare to hope, but she could feel the light feeling in the bottom of her gut.

She got up, a bit weakly since she was still feeling a bit sick, but she smiled and walked into the living room.

Her hopes were dashed and replaced with rage as soon as she saw who it was.

"What are you doing here, Braun?" Elyse asked, her voice tight.

Braun, who was nervously shifting on his seat, looked at her, hopefully. He stood up, immediately, as Elyse walked to the seat opposite of his.

She glared at him until he shifted to look down at the floor, which gave her a slight victory.

"Where's Dieter?" Elyse asked, noticing that her bodyguard wasn't around.

"I asked him if he could just watch your kids. I don't feel comfortable with him being around with what I have to say." Braun explained, softly.

"You had no right, but sure. You get whatever you want, anyways." Elyse said, smoothly, letting her passive aggressive statement sink in.

"Elyse, look, I'm sorry, okay? I know what I did. I know that it was wrong." Braun pleased, his sorrowful gaze begging for her to forgive him.

"Do you? You almost cost me everything, Braun. And you know what? Your information was a _lie_ , which ultimately lead to you running my family. My father is dead, Braun. My husband is off going to some war with my brother. All because you let a man lie to me." Elyse hissed, angrily.

"Lie? Commander Niles lied?" Braun asked, shocked.

Elyse didn't let herself feel guilty. She didn't care if Braun did know or not that Niles lied. All she cared about was the fact that this man was her poison, and she wanted him gone.

Braun stood up, and he approached her. Elyse weakly stood up, ready to push him away, but when he grabbed her arms, she could barely push him away. She had underestimated her strength.

God, she hated being sick.

"What is this." A deep voice growled from the entrance of the house. Elyse froze, so did Braun.

Elyse turned to her side, and she was greeted by a very, _very_ angry Erwin Smith.

"I meant what I said in my press conference, Braun. Show your face, and I will make sure that you won't dare try to show it again." Erwin hissed, angrily, walking up to the frozen pair.

Elyse saw, for the first time, that Erwin was wearing a very familiar Army uniform. His hair was neatly parted, and his beard was gone, making him look younger than before. He stood straight and tall, his arms tucked behind his back.

He looked domineering and menacing.

"Erwin, I didn't mean—"

"Leave. Before I change my mind with letting you get out of here, unscathed." Erwin ordered, walking up towards them.

Braun hesitated, and he looked down at Elyse. She looked away, and he let go of her.

With one last hesitant look, Braun left, the door shutting behind him with a slam.

Elyse looked at Erwin, her throat closing up all of a sudden. He didn't look at her, instead he began to look around the room, as if searching for someone.

"Erwin-"

"Where's Dieter?" Erwin asked, interrupting her. He looked at her then, and Elyse shuddered at his cold, hardened gaze.

"He-He's watching over the kids." Elyse answered, softly.

Erwin scoffed, "Of course, the lovely couple needed their alone time as always."

Elyse widened her eyes at that, "No, Erwin, it wasn't like that."

She knew that her attempt was feeble because Erwin walked past her to go to the patio, and she could feel the hardness of his muscle push her back, slightly.

But, he didn't pause.

Elyse watched his broad back walk away from her, and she watched as he bent down on the patio as the kids squealed and ran to hug him. Her heart tightened as she saw Erwin's face drastically change into a warm gaze.

 _He looks at you differently. Yeah, right, Marie, Niles. I don't know what you're seeing, but that man was not looking at me like that._

Elyse could feel the coldness of her loneliness wrap around her as she heard the laughter from afar.

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair for Elyse due to the fact that it was the children chattering among themselves with Erwin responding in amusement.

"Mama taught me how to plie, Papa!" Mikasa suddenly exclaimed.

"Did she now?" Erwin asked, not even bothering to look up at Elyse as he smiled at Mikasa.

"Yeah, she said that she learned it in the opera house that you bought for her when she was my age!" Mikasa continued, ecstatically.

Elyse could feel her heart break at that, and she didn't know whether she should say anything in response, afraid that Erwin would reply with something with a double-edged sword effect.

"Is that true, Elyse?" Erwin asked from across the table, and it took all of her willpower not to choke on her soup.

She coughed a little, as she looked up, a bit flushed, "Y-yeah, it's true. She's a natural, of course."

She stared at Mikasa, proudly, and her eyes landed on Erwin, who was staring at her. She smiled, slightly and softly, at him.

For a moment, she swore she saw him smile back.

Elyse groaned as soon as she closed the door to the kids' room. They had been asking questions about why their father was in his Army uniform, but Elyse didn't feel right to answer their questions without Erwin in the room.

Erwin had excused himself to answer his phone, and he hadn't returned for bedtime with the kids, so she assumed the position.

Once she closed the door, Elyse was walking towards her room, ready to just fall asleep. But, she stopped when she noticed that her father's office door was opened.

She walked towards the office, and she could make out Erwin's figure in the moonlit room. He was standing in front of the huge window, straight and rigid.

She walked in, without even thinking about any consequence. She just wanted to talk to him. She needed to talk to him.

"Hey." Elyse greeted, and she watched him turn around, his bright blue eyes shining even more in the moonlit room.

"Are the kids asleep?" He asked, tiredly. Blinking, Elyse was surprised that Erwin didn't bother to fight with her.

"Yes, they are. How was your phone call?" Elyse asked, softly, trying to tread carefully.

"The usual. Press, work, and Army." Erwin stated, stoic.

Elyse bit her lip and nodded. Not even sure where she should start or begin, she began to turn around, defeated.

"Elyse, come here." Erwin demanded, from behind her. Elyse widened her eyes and she turned back around, surprised. He still had a cold gaze, but she was craving to talk to him without fighting. She felt horrible about what she accused him of, and she wanted to explain herself.

But, more than anything, she wanted to make sure they were okay before she said anything.

She obeyed and walked towards him, and she found herself standing in front of him, staring up at him, not knowing what to expect.

"I heard that…Marie was here. And, then Niles. So, I assume that you know about what's going on." Erwin stated, informingly.

"You're leaving to the Army. Why didn't you tell me?" Elyse asked, softly, her heart pounding with how close Erwin was to her.

The last time they were this close…A blush rose to Elyse's cheeks, and she shook her head slightly.

"Well, I was going to tell you today, but I guess the Doks did it for me." Erwin stated, amused.

Elyse couldn't see the humor in it.

"That's not funny, Erwin. What am I supposed to tell the kids?" Elyse asked, worried.

"I told them back in Paris already, Elyse." Erwin stated, with a sigh.

Elyse didn't expect _that_. Elyse closed her eyes as the realization hit her. She was officially the last person to know that her _husband_ was leaving.

"Oh, I see." Elyse stated, stiffly.

It was quiet between them, and Elyse didn't even want to bother apologizing to him anymore. It was a lost cause anyways. He was still being resentful, so what was the point?

"I don't how long I will be gone, but I hope that you will take care of the kids and everything else well, okay?" Erwin asked, as if he was talking to a little girl.

Elyse just nodded, numbly.

"…Elyse…nevermind. Goodnight." Erwin said, dismissively.

That was the final straw.

"I know, Erwin, okay? I know that I was wrong in believing whatever bullshit Braun accused you off. Marie came here, wanting to talk to you, wanting to apologize to you like an _adult_. Instead, she ended up sharing her story about your marriage. She had felt lonely, and you know what? I don't exactly blame her for feeling that way. God, you're such a pretentious asshole sometimes that you don't see that you don't need to put me on some sort of pedestal. Because, you know when you do, you _will_ be disappointed. I fucked up, I know that. But, I'm not Marie. I gave _you_ Armin. I gave you Eren and Mikasa, and I never _betrayed_ you without your permission. Yes, I was an idiot for thinking that Braun was different, but God, I'm an idiot. I'm not a saint. And, so are you. You're an idiot, also, because you don't _trust_ me because of some woman who lied to you. Niles told me that the higher ups had wanted you badly, so they used me to push you, and I'm sorry that I blindly let that happen, but enough is enough. I'm not some woman you had to marry because you knocked me up. I'm Elyse, someone who truly cares about you and can't stop thinking about how she fucked your life up every damn day."

Elyse could feel herself gasp for air, and she could tell that she thoroughly had surprised Erwin, who was looking at her as if she grown two heads all of a sudden.

She didn't even bother to say anything else. She turned to walk away, but a gentle tug on her hand made her turn around.

She looked up at him, expectantly, hoping that her outburst would make Erwin finally forgive her. Maybe, before he left, they could be normal and actually say goodbye properly.

Instead, Elyse found papers in her hand.

"…Take care of yourself, Elyse." Erwin whispered, before pressing a light kiss on her forehead.

He left, and Elyse, getting over her shock, looked down at her hands.

The words, DIVORCE, glaring at her.

The post-it on it with the perfect cursive that belonged to only him made tears roll down her cheeks.

It didn't help that it said, "I'm sorry. –Erwin."

* * *

Elyse watched as Erwin said goodbye to the kids. She watched as they cried and whimpered, as Erwin placed kisses on their foreheads and rubbed their backs in comfort.

"I'll be back soon, okay? Until then, eat well and study well. Also, take care of your mother." Erwin stated, softly.

The kids nodded their heads in obedience. Erwin got up, and he walked towards her, his gaze unreadable as always.

"Goodbye, Elyse." Erwin stated, softly. Elyse simply nodded, not trusting her own voice.

It didn't help when he grabbed her hand and placed a small kiss on the back of it.

"Old manners never die." Erwin whispered, offering a heartbreaking smile.

Elyse didn't have to power to return it back

* * *

The Parisian Estate was just as beautiful as always. Had it really been only three months since she had last been here?

The kids, of course, didn't seem to take it in just as hard as she did. They had only been gone for a couple of weeks.

Elyse took a deep breath as she stepped out of the car, embracing the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks and the smell of the crisp fall air.

Dieter smiled at her, and she smiled back in thanks as he handled her luggage.

"Miss Elyse!" A voice called, and Elyse turned around and saw Nifa and Isabelle running towards her. She opened her arms as the women giggled and ran into her, hugging her tightly.

Elyse may have been gone for a while, but she truly felt like she had never left.

* * *

Maus rested on her lap, lazily, as she read the newspaper outside in the backyard. She read about the upcoming production in the theatre and she was excited about it. She finally got back to work a week ago, and she knew that the company had missed her greatly.

Especially Freida, who had hugged her and kissed her face while crying.

The kids were back in school, and Elyse missed them sometimes, but she couldn't help but embrace the alone time she had been having.

Her brother had written a letter, and from what she read, Elyse knew that he didn't know…yet. The orange packet filled with…those papers were sitting on her bedroom table, untouched and unsigned.

She was too busy burying herself in the theatre work, and the press was eating up the fact that Elyse was finally out and about.

The kids were still hiding from the press, and Dieter was officially assigned to them too as a bodyguard, hence the quietness and loneliness of the Estate. Nifa and Isabelle were actually running things back in Erwin's office downtown.

She still had security on the premises, but they were too busy protecting the premises to ever bother her.

Yawning, Elyse got up, and she stood up, making Maus whine as he stepped off her lap.

She smiled at that, but suddenly, a dizzy spell took over her and all she could see was black soon after.

* * *

Elyse groaned as she woke up. Her vision was blurred, but as she blinked, she realized that she was in an impeccable white room, that ironically reminded her of her father's old office back in New York City.

"Hello, Mrs. Smith." A cordial voice greeted her as she sat up. It wasn't until now that Elyse realized that she was in a…hospital. A doctor was smiling at her, and she tilted her head to the side, confused.

"Hello…? What happened?" Elyse asked, confused, as she looked around.

"Well, your security found you on the ground in your backyard. They said you had fainted, so they called for an ambulance. Don't worry, your help is outside with your children." The doctor informed her, gently.

"Oh, I see…Is there something wrong with me, Doctor?" Elyse asked, worriedly.

She was confused as to why the doctor even had a smile on his face as he talked about her fainting.

"Oh, no, quite the contrary! Congratulations are in order, Mrs. Smith." The doctor informed her.

"Congratulations…?" Elyse asked, already feeling the dread rising within her.

"Yes! You're pregnant!"

* * *

A:N/ Hi guys, Bye guys. Comment, guys. AHHHHHHH!


	25. Chapter 25

A:N/ Hey guys! An update for you lovely readers and supporters. I ended in yet another cliffhanger, and of course, I didn't want to award such dedicated readers with that. So, here's my ASAP update that I hope will satiate your appetite for more.

I own Elyse. I own nothing else.

* * *

"I asked you a question, cadet. I expected an answer, not a stutter."

Levi watched as Erwin spoke to the trembling cadet in front of them. He narrowed his gaze as he watched Erwin lean forward, his domineering form looming over the green-looking cadet.

"Yes, sir." The cadet replied, and Levi had to commend him for getting back on his feet.

Levi turned to face Erwin, expecting the man to be pleased, yet he was surprised to see the Commander being even more annoyed.

"Give me a hundred, cadet." Erwin commanded, and he left the sweating cadet behind. Levi watched, silently, and once the cadet obeyed his instructions, Levi followed Erwin outside.

Erwin entered his tent, and Levi followed after nodding at the men who guarded it. Levi was even more surprised at the sight of Erwin, already, leaning over a huge table with a map on it, concentrated.

"Tell Hange that I expect a full report about how many injured we have in ten minutes." Erwin said, not even looking up to acknowledge Levi.

Levi raised an eyebrow at that order, "They gave you a full report about a hour ago. I don't think anything has changed, unless doctors now have magical healing powers."

Erwin didn't look amused. "I don't care, Levi. I want a full report."

Levi sighed, inwardly, at that, and he studied Erwin, carefully.

It had been only three months since they all had gathered here to complete the mission that they had been assigned to from their superiors. It was also a touchy one, since it had involved his uncle's death. So, when Erwin arrived, everyone had breathed a sigh of relief.

The dream was short-lived as soon as Erwin began to show signs of…un-Erwin-like shit.

It was as if the man went on maximum overdrive one day. He went from being level-headed and respected to over-worked and cold the next couple of months. Levi tried to wrap his head around it when he overheard cadets complain, but he didn't think anything of it until Hange and Petra had cornered him about it.

They told him to do something about it. The cadets were being pushed over, and it didn't make sense for Erwin to overwork people.

Levi did confront him one day, and Erwin had simply told him that this mission was vital and Levi understood that.

Yet, the look in Erwin's eyes made Levi a bit curious.

He was mad, not mad as in angry, but mad as in too focused.

Levi had left it at that, but it just made Erwin even worse. He didn't talk to any of them anymore. The only time he talked to them was to talk about plans and orders which confused them.

He was a one-man show. Levi had brought it up to the superiors, but, of course, the old fuckers were praising Erwin's work ethics, and that he was the reason that the mission was getting any work done.

It made Levi sick.

Sometimes, Levi thought that the reason may be homesickness, but it didn't make any sense since the last time Erwin received any mail was when it had to do with the business back in the countries.

If he thought about it, Elyse hadn't written to him since he had sent her a letter a few months ago, talking about how he had made it safely and that everyone sent their regards to her and the kids.

But, could that be it?

The relationship between Erwin and Elyse had always been…complicated. Especially when Braun Lexington had been involved. Yet, Levi could see that they prioritized their kids above it all. Maybe that was it? Erwin was a good father when it came down to it, so maybe he missed them?

That was no excuse though for him to overwork the young cadets. Erwin wouldn't be that cruel.

Shaking his head, watching Erwin shuffle a couple papers, Levi decided to take his leave right then and there.

It would be better if he could think about it alone for a while.

* * *

Levi returned to his tent in the evening and he thanked the guards as they opened the tent flaps for him.

He lit the lantern on his small desk next to his bed cot and he lift an eyebrow in surprise. There were some letters from the business he had inherited from his father just as expected, but he saw Elyse's familiar handwriting on one of the envelopes addressed to him.

 _Speak of the devil…_ He thought with a wry smile on his face.

He placed his heavy cape down on the back of his wooden chair, and he sat down with a sigh.

He moved aside the other letters, reminding himself to get to them later.

He picked up the letter opener and carefully opened the letter that was from his sister. He could smell his sister's perfume on it and he wrinkled his brow in annoyance. His sister _would_ have her scent on every damn thing. It was enough for him to get a headache from it.

 _Shitty ass expensive perfume for no reason, Elyse._

His mood lightened up just a little bit as he recognized his sister's familiar penmanship.

 _Brother,_

 _I know it's been months since I wrote to you, and I know you're going to say it's not a big deal, but it is to me. I miss you, and the kids miss you too. They're getting bigger and smarter. Eren, who's only been five for a couple of months, is assuming the position of the man of the house pretty easily. He gets himself into a lot of mischief and tries to drag Armin and Mikasa with him, which also ends in disaster, but he is a born leader and it warms my heart to see him try and take over what he thinks is his father's position in the household. Armin is so smart, and it's very impressive. He already is starting to read books like Les Miserables. Remember when Auntie tried to make us read that huge book? I had thrown it, but you read it to me and it became one of my favorites? I can't believe how long ago that was. Mikasa is proving to be very athletic for her age. I remember when the doctor had diagnosed her with asthma when she was three, but she's proving that she rarely needs her inhaler. She's dancing now. She told me that for her sixth birthday, which is next year by the way, that she wanted to compete in the national dance competition, and her dance teacher is actually agreeing to it._

 _As you can tell, I'm very proud of the children, and I believe that they have big things in store for them. I watch the news daily to see what's going on, but I remembered that you guys are a specialized unit. I know that whatever you guys are doing is for the greater good. I just hope that you guys are all in one piece doing it._

 _All my love,_

 _Your sister, Elyse._

Levi smiled at the mention of his nephews and niece, but something was nagging him in the back of his mind. Elyse barely mentioned anything about herself, but that was expected. His sister never considered herself in the equation most of the time, much to his annoyance and frustration.

That wasn't the thing that bothered him though. He couldn't put his finger on it. After a moment, he sighed and shook his head. His sister was fine, and he was probably overthinking it.

Besides, he had to worry about the large piece of lump who happened to be his sister's husband.

That's when a thought appeared in his mind.

Erwin and Elyse. That complicated factor in the lives that they involved in their lives. Maybe that was it.

If he was just receiving his letter now, maybe Erwin was also waiting for a letter from Elyse, too.

There! Maybe that was it.

Erwin was in a bad mood because he hadn't heard from his wife and children, so if he got his letter now, maybe his mood will finally perk the fuck up and then life can begin to be a little bit more tolerable in this damn warzone.

Wasting no time, Levi got up and left his tent to check on Erwin.

* * *

Something was wrong.

Levi knew it the moment the guards in front of Erwin's tent stopped him.

"I'm sorry, Squad Leader Levi, we have specific orders from the Commander that no one was to bother him." One of the guards stated, apologetically.

Levi narrowed his eyes at them before he pushed them away. The guards, taken aback, stumbled behind and shouted at him, but he ignored him. He opened the tent flaps, and his eyes widened slightly at what he saw.

Erwin, who was sitting on his desk, with a glass in hand, had a guest over. One that was _very_ sultry-looking and was on his bed, staring seductively at the blonde behemoth.

"You, get the fuck out." Levi ordered through gritted teeth.

The woman, who looked at Levi in surprise, got up and was about to obey until Erwin stopped her.

"Stay. Levi, let's go outside and talk." Erwin commanded at the woman, pushing her back to sit on the bed cot once more.

Erwin went up to Levi and grabbed his arm, which Levi shoved off, quickly, standing his ground.

"Let's stay here and chat, Commander. I would like to get to know your guest before I knock you the fuck out." Levi hissed, his gaze narrowing at Erwin.

The woman, who just looked confident moments earlier, seemed to be at a lost as she stared dumbly at the two powerful men.

"Don't be unreasonable, Levi." Erwin stated, in a warning tone. Levi wanted to pick up anything and ram it against the man's head.

"Unreasonable? You want to talk about being _unreasonable_ , Erwin?" Levi asked, indecorously, pointing to the woman on the bed.

His arm was caught by Erwin, and Levi couldn't help but notice that something was missing.

Before Erwin could notice his surprise, Levi shook his arm away from his grasp and glared at the man before him.

"Change of plans, I don't feel like speaking to a stranger who likes to bed whores." With that said, Levi turned away and left Erwin's tent without another word.

The guards he had pushed away earlier looked at him with wary eyes and Levi returned their hesitant gaze with an angered expression of his own.

They saluted, but Levi didn't bother to salute back.

He was too busy thinking of the missing ring on Erwin's finger and the letter he will be definitely writing his sister.

* * *

Petra watched as Levi stormed off and the curiosity she had moments earlier when she saw the guards try to push him away was replaced with an eerie feeling of discomfort.

She knew that Erwin had been acting a bit different, but for Levi to walk away from his best friend's tent like that, it didn't settle well with her.

It had been months since they all had been back home, and she understood it when tensions ran high as they were in a warzone. Yet, she knew they shouldn't be risking their friendships with so much at stake.

That's what she had used to excuse Erwin's weird behavior, but maybe, this time, no excuses were working.

Petra turned around to face Hange, who had been busy writing down their report on the injured.

"I just saw Levi walk away from Erwin's tent, angrily. Should we be worried?" Petra asked, her mind trying to figure out solutions.

Hange didn't even bother to look up.

"Maybe it was just another argument. You know how does two get when it comes to dealing with strategies that they don't agree with." Hange said, absently.

"I guess…Levi seemed more than angry at that though…" Petra said in thought.

"Let men be men—Oh! I got a letter from Elyse! Did you get one?" Hange announced in excitement after she sorted through their mail.

Petra smiled in response at the mention of Elyse, "Yeah, I read mine earlier. She seems to be doing okay. The kids are growing."

With that, Petra decided to push aside the worrisome thought and talked about the silver lining of it all.

* * *

Nifa washed the dishes in the kitchen, carefully. She sighed as she heard Eren from the other room yell some fighting phrase that he learned from one of his TV shows.

"Eren, not so loud. Your mother is resting." Nifa scolded, casting a look at the ashamed boy.

It was only for a moment, and Eren bounded back up, smiling his wide smile that had just enough charm to make Nifa smile back.

"Nifa, can you help me with this word?" Armin asked from the kitchen table as Eren whispered his fighting phrases as he stood on the kitchen table.

Nifa nodded, turning the sink off and wiping her hands on the rag that hung on the oven handle in front of her.

She walked towards the blonde boy and her attention went to where his tiny finger was pointing at.

"Revolution, Armin. That word says revolution. Say it with me." Nifa encouraged, pointing each syllable as she said it.

"Revolution." Armin repeated, confidently. Nifa smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. Nifa looked around and she noticed that Mikasa was missing.

She sighed at that. Mikasa was always quiet, enough to be able to sneak out to wherever she wanted to go. She knew that Mikasa would be a handful growing up. She was already showing signs of beauty, and Nifa couldn't help but see similarities between Elyse and Mikasa.

She knew they weren't necessarily mother and daughter, but they _were_ related. Besides, Elyse had a beauty that was praised in Paris and she had a talent that was just as ethereal as her beauty, and what made her even more lovely was the fact that she didn't flaunt such things.

If anything, Elyse probably didn't realize it herself. Or, she was too shy to even acknowledge such things.

Mikasa has always been shy, but the prettiness and the talent was starting to show, much to Nifa's surprise. It was as if looking at Elyse's mini-me sometimes except that Mikasa had more of the Asian beauty compared to Elyse.

What caught Nifa's amusement even more was the fact that mother and daughter shared the same streak of stubbornness. They were shy in general, but if they truly wanted something, mother and daughter truly do fight tooth and nail for it.

Especially when Mikasa fought to be a dancer.

Elyse had been a bit hesitant when her daughter began to show sincere interest in competing because of Mikasa's frailty as a baby. Especially when the baby needed an inhaler for most of her premature life.

Mikasa had got angry then, begging and pleading until Elyse finally relented to one lesson.

That one lesson turned into two then into three. Now, Nifa could bet that Mikasa was outside on the patio, practicing a dance routine that Elyse had taught her.

Nifa smiled as she walked towards the French doors and saw that Mikasa was indeed practicing amongst the rose bushes that the kids had planted on her fourth birthday.

It was surreal how big they've gotten.

Nifa turned to watch Eren, who was pretending that he was fighting some giant monster of some sort as he leapt from the table and on to the ground, and Armin, who was still dutifully reading that ridiculous gigantic book that he saw his mother read one day.

"Nifa, can you pretend to be the Titan that I'm fighting?" Eren asked, referring to his favorite animated show that had teens fighting against these monstrous beings. It was one that Elyse watched with her children, every Thursday night.

"How about we make a fort outside? It's nice outside and we can use the weather for dramatic effects." Nifa suggested, pointing towards the backyard.

Eren shouted in glee at that, only to be scolded once again by Nifa. Once he ran outside, Nifa turned to Armin, who was still very much into his book.

"Armin," Nifa prodded, gently, "It's nice and brisk today, how about we get you a blanket so you can enjoy and relax outside?"

Armin looked up, and blinked, but he nodded, and Nifa was sure he wasn't really there.

Armin was really so much like Erwin when it came to knowledge.

She watched as the miniature version of her boss walk outside with a blanket wrapped around him, his head still bowed as he read.

At the thought of her boss, she thought of her fellow comrades overseas. She had offered to go and join as soon as heard about the specialized unit reforming, but Erwin was adamant that her and Dieter stayed.

He wanted his family to be safe, and Nifa couldn't find it in her heart to disagree. She basically helped raised these kids, and it would've been hard leaving Elyse to the vultures of media and high society all by herself.

She knew that Elyse would've insisted that she could go, but Nifa knew that woman was too stubborn to admit that she needed help.

Especially now that…

Nifa shook her head at that, scolding herself.

It was a sensitive subject, and she knew that the Commander and his wife had problems which everyone couldn't understand especially her.

But, she knew that, despite all those problems, everyone enjoyed it when Erwin and Elyse were cordial and happy.

It was as if hell broke loose when Erwin and Elyse were at odds. This time, Nifa didn't even know where it stood.

But, she knew where Elyse was at, and that scared her the most.

Shaking her head, Nifa pushed the dark thoughts away and joined the enjoyable kids who were blissfully unaware of what was happening around them.

* * *

Dieter smiled at the sound of laughter from afar. He could make out the shadows of the children and Nifa in the backyard, and he made sure that he signaled the rest of the security detail that everything was okay.

Once he got the okay from the security, Dieter relaxed a bit. He checked his phone for news on the army unit, and he fought the slight disappointment when he found out there was no news at all.

He knew that it would be a dead end to try and search for _anything_ about the unit, but it didn't stop him. His comrades were there, and he had wanted to join in.

Yet, he owed Erwin his life, first and foremost, and if the man told him to stay, Dieter had no choice but to obey.

He remembered the day that Erwin had called Dieter and Nifa to his office before he officially left. It had been a tense day since the day he arrived was the day Braun Lexington had showed up unannounced.

Dieter had blamed himself for leaving Braun and Elyse so he could check up on the kids the moment he overheard Erwin coldly accuse Elyse for something that she had no control over.

Dieter had apologized to Erwin, and he also told him that it wasn't Elyse's fault that she had been alone with the man. Erwin had nodded, but Dieter knew that the man was still holding on to believing that his wife was to blame.

It made sense. Elyse _had_ lied to Erwin once, but it was only once. But, knowing the man, Erwin had trouble trusting people especially with his background in the military.

You never knew who you could trust after they betray you by blowing up a squadron.

Erwin had to face that almost every day in his reality and his nightmares.

Dieter knew the man since they both started in the military at a young age. He watched as Erwin rose above the ranks, and Dieter respected the man more than anything. He lead with greatness and respect, and Dieter would follow the man to hell if he had to.

So, when Erwin had asked if he could be Elyse's personal bodyguard, Dieter had been flattered. He had been shocked and surprised at Erwin's choice of a wife, but he got it as soon as he got to know Elyse…and the fact that she had been suspiciously pregnant a little too soon after it.

No one really knew about Erwin's PTSD, so when Erwin trusted Dieter with it, Dieter was honored. He remembered the night that he had interfered when Erwin had fallen asleep holding Mikasa. He remembered Elyse, choking, as Erwin grasped her neck.

He had never seen it in person, but it had been extremely harrowing. Poor Elyse.

Dieter gained more respect for the girl when she showed her strength through it all, even forcing Erwin to go back to therapy.

He had been a supporter of the family as they grew bigger, and it worried him when Erwin and Elyse were…tense.

He looked up at the thought, and he noticed that he could see Elyse's figure through the windows as she looked down at them.

He lifted a hand and waved, and Elyse waved back.

But, he noticed a gesture that had him chuckling. It was ironic, really.

He had kept Erwin's secret of his PTSD, and now?

He had to keep Elyse's secret as he watched her place her hand on her stomach before disappearing behind the curtains and out of sight.

* * *

Isabelle sighed as she picked up the ever-ringing phone at her desk once more.

It's been hell since Erwin left for the Army in the Ackerman-Smith business. It was as if the businesses were starting to come back after the whole drama surrounding the Smith family died down.

Erwin left the business in the capable hands of his father, and Levi had trusted Isabelle enough to be the assistant that Petra once was to Erwin. So far, Erwin's father, Mr. Smith to her, was a kind, professional man, and Isabelle had no complaints.

He never once looked stressed, and Isabelle was shocked at how similar father and son were when it came to maintaining a peaceful façade when it came to work.

But, when Isabelle was called to the office moments after answering the phone, she noticed that Mr. Smith had an anxious look on his face, and it surprised her to see such emotion on the man's face.

"You called for me, sir?" Isabelle asked, gently. Mr. Smith motioned for her to come in, and Isabelle obeyed.

"Please sit, Isabelle. I would like to discuss something with you." Mr. Smith said, motioning for Isabelle to sit on one of the couches in the middle of the office.

Isabelle nodded and obeyed. Mr. Smith stood up, and walked towards the front of the desk and he sat on one of the corners. He had a hand on his temple, massaging his head before he faced Isabelle.

"Isabelle, how long have you known my son?" Mr. Smith asked after a moment. Isabelle paused at that, but she thought about it.

"He hired me as soon as he got this job. Petra was already here, but she had wanted another assistant with all the work that was starting to pile up."

Mr. Smith nodded, thinking about her answer.

"And how was he? Was he any different than he is now?" Mr. Smith asked, paying close attention to Isabelle.

Isabelle fidgeted a bit, unsure of these question but she knew that she had no right to question authority.

"Well, he was more of a loner back then. He only talked to us about business, or he would talk about his agenda for the day. Nothing personal. Women fawned over him, but he paid no attention to them. He was very organized and on time. Perfect businessman." Isabelle answered.

Mr, Smith nodded at that.

"How was he after he married Elyse?" Mr. Smith asked, and Isabelle noticed the gentle look on his face at the mention of his daughter-in-law.

Isabelle couldn't help but smile too.

"He was more cordial. It wasn't as if he was cold before, it's just he was more to himself before. He actually had conversations that didn't have work in it. He would ask Petra and I to shop for his wife, and he trusted us to always make sure her needs were met. When the children came into the picture, Erwin would never stop talking about them. He would show us pictures, and he would ask us to frame them and decorate his office with them. He actually talked to the women in the office, but it wasn't to entertain them. It was even more entertaining to see these women's faces fall when Erwin asked them what would be a good gift to give his wife for her 21st birthday." Isabelle giggled at that memory.

It was as if the women were hoping that he was going to tell them that he was divorcing his beautiful wife, and when Erwin had asked them that question, especially the fact that Elyse was only turning 21, which reminded the women that she was younger than most of them, it had Petra making popcorn and manipulating confused Erwin to ask more women the same question for the day.

Mr. Smith smiled at that, the expression on his face seeming more relaxed. He actually picked up one of the many framed photographs of his grandchildren on his desk to caress their smiles.

"What do you think of Elyse, Isabelle? When you first heard about my son's impromptu marriage to such a young girl must've made you…think differently about her at first." Mr. Smith asked after a moment, placing the framed photograph down on the desk.

Isabelle actually did remember the day she had found out that Erwin had married. Petra, wide-eyed, had hung up the phone and told Isabelle to have something shipped to Erwin tomorrow in New York City.

Isabelle had asked why, not even thinking that much about it.

Petra's exact quote had been: "It's for Erwin's wife to wear at their press conference in Paris."

That day, Petra and Isabelle had spent it searching up, "Elyse Jaeger Ackerman", and Petra had reacted weirdly at Elyse's last name at the time. Isabelle had been too shocked to even confront Petra about it.

Pictures of a beautiful young woman flooded their computers, and Isabelle and Petra had gasped at how _young_ she looked.

Dark-haired, hazel-eyed Julliard prodigy with a petite yet willowy figure was in every webpage they had opened. Isabelle had studied every aspect of the pictures, her thoughts consumed with how this was the woman that managed to snatch the famous European handsome bachelor up.

Isabelle and Petra had groaned at every damn picture of perfection that popped up. Perfect waves and perfect eyebrows with plump lips and smooth pale skin in a full face picture. Perfect ballerina posture. Perfect smile that accentuated deep dimples.

That's when a perfect sibling picture popped up and Petra and Isabelle screamed, already a little tipsy from playing a drinking game called, "Take A Shot After Every Perfect Picture".

Yep, it was an interesting day. Especially when a hungover Isabelle had picked up the phone to a curious Levi, who was wondering as to why Petra and her had called him about his, "fucking beautiful sister."

Meeting Elyse was also something that Isabelle had expected would be weird.

She had expected a princess, someone who would be a little bit spoiled and a little bit haughty. But, Isabelle was greeted with a flushed woman who seemed to be in awe of _her_. Isabelle had to fight the urge to scream in delight when Elyse had complimented her.

Getting to know Elyse had been a pleasure also. Isabelle really felt that Elyse, a woman who was beautiful inside and out, did deserve a man like Erwin.

Especially when the woman just proved how human she was compared to the saint that everyone was so determined to make her to be.

"I had," Isabelle admitted, bashfully, but that's when I got to know her. Elyse…what is there to say that hasn't been already said? She's a great wife and mother, and she did have a bit of drama surrounding her. But, who isn't perfect? I just…Elyse is a human. She's not some angel, and I know she doesn't like to be seen like it. Yet, I see it. I see the angel that we all see, it's just that it's not fair to do that to her, you know?"

Isabelle flushed after a moment, realizing that she had been rambling about God knows what.

Mr. Smith simply smiled at her.

"I know what you mean, Isabelle. My daughter-in-law surprised me when I first met her, and I had been furious at Erwin for marrying a woman who was ten years younger than him. Meeting her was an absolute delight, and getting to know her was a blessing in itself. She is, as you say, a great wife and mother, and I wouldn't have anyone else for my son." Mr. Smith said, agreeably.

He sighed after a moment.

"My son and my daughter-in-law are not talking, are they?" Mr. Smith casually asked.

Isabelle froze at that, and now she knew why she was being questioned.

Having been acquainted with both sides, Isabelle knew that Mr. Smith was checking up on his family the only way he could. From what Isabelle knew, Mr. Smith would go visit his daughter-in-law and grandkids once a week. But, that had changed when Elyse had stopped contacting her father-in-law, which devastated Mr. Smith for a week.

Isabelle had to convince Mr. Smith that Elyse needed time to be alone especially with what's going on with the press and their lives.

"…I can't deny or confirm that, Mr. Smith." Isabelle admitted, softly.

Isabelle had been helping out for the past couple months with the kids, but Isabelle barely saw Elyse. Whenever company was around, Dieter and Nifa would tell them that Elyse was resting and that she needs to be alone. It was either that or Elyse was away at the theatre, working on some new production.

At first, Isabelle had been surprised at that, and she had written Erwin about it.

Erwin never replied.

Mr. Smith smiled, sadly, at that.

"Let's hope that it's just a phase then." Mr. Smith finally stated, getting up from his spot on the desk to return back to his chair.

Isabelle hoped he was right.

* * *

"Make sure that this is priority. Do you understand?" Levi asked the mail carrier. The mail carrier nodded, and saluted. Levi saluted back and he watched the man turn around and walk back to his post and to where all the soldiers sent their mail.

Levi spent the whole night writing that damn letter, and he'll be damned if it didn't get to his sister.

He wanted answers. He needed answers.

He repeated the memory of Erwin's hand on his arm, and that annoying, infuriating ring less finger that Levi had zoned in on.

It was all starting to make sense, and Levi was sure that if Elyse just confirmed his suspicions then…

Then, what?

Levi's mind blanked and he didn't know what to do about it.

A heavy hand patted his shoulder, and Levi turned around, annoyed.

He got even more annoyed when he realized who it was.

"I'm sorry, you must be mistaking me for some fucker who's going to kiss your ass. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'd rather lick a dirty ass toilet than give you a time of day, Dok." Levi greeted, spitefully.

Niles smiled that irritating smile, and Levi had to fight to urge to not punch the bastard in his smug face.

"Well, seems like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today." Niles sighed, shaking his head.

"More like someone didn't want to run into your ugly ass face today." Levi retorted. He began to walk away until Niles stopped him.

"Look, Ackerman. I didn't come here to aggravate you. I came here to talk about something important." Niles said.

Levi scoffed at that. "Please, I'm sure that your information isn't something that I care about."

Niles raised an eyebrow at him, and Levi was ready to rip his face off, "Even if this information concerns your nephew, Eren?"

Levi paused at that, and he narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Oh? And why aren't you informing Erwin about this?" Levi asked, immediately suspicious.

Niles shook his head, a secretive smile on his face, "Erwin was…busy at the time I thought I would tell him."

Levi was ready to throw up all over this man's ugly shoes.

"Speak." Levi ordered, angrily.

Niles shook his head, still smiling, "Ask nicely, Squad Leader Levi. I am a Commander after all."

"You're not my Commander, ass wipe. So, you better tell me what you have on my nephew or I'll make sure you'll have a gun shoved so far up your asshole that you will beg for an ass wipe that can reach it." Levi hissed, warningly.

Niles paused at that, and Levi felt cold satisfaction at the slight frown on the man's face.

"The person who killed your uncle has been found, but they've been on the run and we can't really identify who it is. That's not all. The…confidential item that your uncle had on him has also been found and identified." Niles stated, professionally, giving Levi a picture.

Levi nodded, sharply, and he looked at the picture.

His eyes widened as he saw the item.

"…Wait, that's…"

Levi trailed off and his gaze snapped up to meet Niles' serious one.

"We need to tell Erwin. Now."

* * *

Elyse looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. She brushed her hair, making sure that her hair wasn't tangled for the event that she would have to attend in a matter of hours. The theatre doors were opening yet again with _another_ production due to the ever-growing school that just opened this spring.

Students had been registering, and she had been accepting who she thought was promising and who had actually wanted to learn. It was liberating, really. Elyse felt control over something for once, and she couldn't help but feel excited about it.

Elyse took a deep breath as another bout of nausea hit her once again. She placed a hand on her stomach, feeling the slight bump that was there.

She was nearly ending her first trimester, and she hasn't told anyone but Nifa and Dieter, only because she needed them to protect her and the kids from the press and so they wouldn't be dumbfounded when she would vomit or ask for ice cream in the middle of the night.

When the doctor had confirmed her pregnancy, Elyse didn't know _what_ to do. She had been served divorce papers from the father of the unborn child weeks earlier. It had been all too much. She made the doctor promise that he would not say a word to anybody about it due to doctor-patient privilege, and Dieter made sure that the man wouldn't say a word, much to Elyse's gratefulness.

After that day, Elyse thought it would be better if she continued to go with her daily routine and play with the children, and that had worked for a bit…until Elyse had fallen while dancing.

Freida had fretted over her as soon as Elyse saw a bit of bleeding. Dieter had taken her to the hospital, and Elyse had been informed that she was lucky that her child survived.

Since then, Elyse had to take a break and she used the excuse that the doctor said her ankles needed to rest which, thankfully, everyone believed. Freida had been to relieved to notice the slight tremor in Elyse's voice as she bit her lip.

Months of thinking of what to do made Elyse realize that she still hadn't written letters to anyone overseas, so she wrote letters to everyone she knew that was in the specialized unit. Except for one.

She didn't know what to write in _that_ one.

 _Hey, I know you want a divorce, but I found out that I was pregnant three months ago, and I thought you should know about it even though you still harbor this anger towards me._

It made Elyse cringe at the thought of Erwin reading a letter like that. Elyse could hear Maus meowing on the other side of her bedroom door and she knew that meant the kids were in the house and coming up the stairs.

Elyse opened the door, and Maus bounded in. He was followed by a giggling Mikasa, who looked at her mother after a moment of cuddling with Maus on the bed.

"Wow, Mama! You look beautiful." Mikasa stated in awe. Elyse smiled at her daughter in gratitude.

"Thanks, ma petite. Did you guys give Nifa a hard time?" Elyse asked, worried.

Mikasa smiled and shook her head, "I didn't, but Eren did."

Elyse sighed at that, looking at her reflection in the mirror so she could do the final touches on her makeup.

She picked up a necklace from her vanity, and she sighed as she tried to clasp it behind her neck. She hated not being able to do this by herself. She had been used to Erwin doing it for her that Elyse had stopped wearing necklaces for a while.

"Mama, do you need help with that?" A voice asked from behind, and Elyse smiled at Armin's reflection in the mirror.

"Yes, baby, can you please clasp the ends together?" Elyse asked, softly. Armin nodded, putting the book he borrowed from her down on the vanity before picking up the necklace.

Elyse smiled as she watched her son focus his small hands on the task before him. With a satisfied sound, Armin smiled at his mother's reflection in the mirror.

"Good job, darling. Thank you." Elyse said, in gratitude.

"Where are you going?" Another voice asked, inquisitively. Elyse had to fight back a laugh as she saw Eren's attempt to be protective.

"I'm going to the theatre tonight to do some work. Can you be the responsible one in charge for tonight?" Elyse asked, turning to hug Eren as he walked towards her.

Eren laughed as she blew raspberry kisses on his cheek.

Elyse laughed in return as Armin and Mikasa joined in.

She hoped that they would stay this innoncent as long as possible.

* * *

Elyse picked a gorgeous baby doll, floor-length light blue dress for the evening, just in case there was no sight of a bump. She thanked Dieter as he helped her out of the car and into the blinding lights as the press clamored around them.

"Elyse! Look over here!"

"Smile here!"

"YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND ARE TRAITORS."

That was a yell that made Elyse turn around.

In a moment, it had been too late.

A shot was heard.

And darkness soon followed.

* * *

A:N/ DUN DUN Dun! Thank you guys so much for reading! Again, I appreciate the support and the love. I also hoped you liked the fact that this chapter was in different perspectives other than Elyse's! Hope you guys enjoyed! Comments are always welcomed.


	26. Chapter 26

A:N/ Hello! So, I received a very interesting review from , and I want to talk about it for just a moment.

Before I begin, I would like to say thank you so much for your critical review because I was waiting for someone to point it out.

The guest mentioned how that this fic has a very misogynistic feel, and I agree, wholeheartedly. The setting, this world, still has a slight misogynistic feel and I chose to present that in my story because Elyse is a sixteen-year old girl who's been raised in a world that has been controlled by the patriarchal system. Misogyny runs rampart in this world, and I wanted to show how it still stems in this world.

Now, some may argue, "Okay, if you knew that, why didn't you choose to write a world where it doesn't exist?", well, because, it's _reality_. Of course, I could've taken that route, but in my mind, it would've been a wrong setting for my character and the direction this story is taking. Because, in this modern world that we live in, misogyny still exists. Trust me.

Now, some may say, "Okay, then why create a character like Elyse?", well, because there are women who _choose_ to keep a baby at the age of sixteen. There are some women who want to be a mother. There are some women who choose to obey. Does that make them any less of a feminist or less of a character? I even explained how Elyse's character was throughout the story and how she is super old-school, and I can see your frustration with her, because, guess what? I'm the _exact_ opposite of her. But, this is why I wrote a character like her because women like her, or Mary Sues like her, deserve to have a chance in the spotlight and that doesn't mean that they are any less of what a BAMF women is like or what a modern women is like. Also, Elyse is _sixteen_ in the beginning of this story, raised by a single father and his money, so, of course, she's a bit more proper and more "whatever you say, father" type of girl especially if she blames herself for her mother's death and her father's unhappiness.

Now, this isn't to berate the reviewer at all, and I will be highly disappointed if I see people berating this person in the comments. I agree with the review, and even the reviewer mentioned how they loved my writing. They even mentioned how it wasn't their cup of tea and that it's too all over the place for their taste because it's like a soap opera (which I take all the blame for because I love angst and drama). And I completely get it.

I only wanted to bring light to this review because, if some of you are scared to mention things like this to me, don't be. I wrote this knowing that people wouldn't like it, and it's fine. Everyone has their own opinions. I just want to make it clear that I'm writing a misogynistic fic because I support it and I'm writing a character like Elyse because I'm not a whole supporter of BAMF women. I _love_ when women take action and control, and Elyse is doing that in her own way, slowly but surely, and if it's by being a mother and a wife, I don't see the problem with it. And, I clearly don't want a misogynistic world, so let's do something about it, but I'm not going to give you a fluffed up world where it doesn't exist.

All my love to you reviewer, and thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for letting me know what didn't sit well with you. Kisses from America xx.

And, once again, I don't want to read anyone being mean to this reviewer. Please, the world needs love not hate, lovelies.

Anywho, continuing, I don't own anyone but lovely Elyse.

* * *

Erwin watched the flame flicker in the lantern on his desk in his tent. He watched as beads of red wine would drop into his glass as he swished it around.

The woman who he hired for the night waited for him on his cot, and he sat in his chair, not giving any indication that he would get up soon. It must be the hundredth night that he hired her, and he still didn't even know her name.

The woman waited as usual, a glass in her hand also, but she also didn't make any move to get up.

"So, what do you want to talk about this time?" The woman asked, a small smile on her lips as she stared at him.

Erwin didn't answer. He stared at the mess on his desk instead.

The woman got up from the bed and approached his desk, leaning forward even is Erwin's gaze was not on her. She placed the empty glass on his desk, and she stared at his unmoving figure.

"How about this time, instead of talking, I can take whatever is bothering you, _physically_." The woman suggested, seductively. Her hands reached out to touch him, but Erwin, in one swift movement, pushed them away.

He looked up at her then, his gaze still out of it.

"She didn't write me." He stated, blankly. The woman, a bit taken a back, frowned but she sighed and sat back down on his cot, waiting for him to continue.

"She wrote everyone else, but she didn't write to me." Erwin continued, his faraway gaze staring at whatever was in front of him.

"Is this about your wife again? I thought you would be done talking about her at this point." The woman groused, but she had a hint of a sad smile on his face. She knew that the Commander was clearly hurting.

The specialized unit had been stationed near her hometown, and the brothel had been buzzing with all these young recruits who were looking forward to taking a breather. She had been amazed when the Mistress of the brothel told her that the Commander needed an escort. And, the Mistress pointed out that she was her best escort. A little amazed and happy, the woman was ready to please the Commander. Yet, she had been hired by him every night since he was stationed here, and he had never touched her once for her…services. All he did was talk.

He talked about whatever was on his mind. He had first talked about the work that they were doing there, and she knew that he had kept the true mission hidden, but all she could focus on was on her shock that he didn't want to use her body for anything.

Instead, he had offered her food and a glass of wine each night, and she had waited for him to pounce on her but it never came.

It was only until he started talking about his wife, or soon-to-be ex-wife, that she realized why he never bothered.

"Maybe she forgot or maybe she just doesn't want to talk to you anymore. I mean, you guys _are_ divorcing." The woman reasoned, arching an eyebrow at him.

Erwin shook his head, in disbelief.

"She would at least write about the kids. She wouldn't keep their wellbeing away from me." Erwin replied, easily.

The woman held back a sigh, but she continued to listen to him. She couldn't help but feel a bit curious about it ever since that Squad Leader had showed up and assumed the worst.

The woman had learned that the man was the Commander's wife's brother. And she had winced at that. Of course, this would happen. But, what surprised her even more was that Erwin didn't even bother to defend himself except try to talk to the Squad Leader outside.

"They wouldn't understand it," Erwin had explained to her one day, "They wouldn't understand Elyse and I at all."

 _Elyse_. The woman had thought it a pretty name, and the more Erwin talked about the woman, she knew that the pretty name was much more to the man than to her.

She remembered the first night she heard about the Commander's intimate life. He had finished talking about whatever boring part of the mission he wanted to complain about, and then he caught her attention when he randomly said something.

"Elyse would be upset if she heard that we weren't making any progress."

"Who's Elyse?" The woman asked, finally grateful that something else was mentioned rather than the usual Army stuff.

She had watched as the Commander's whole demeanor shifted at the name. He had been tired and annoyed, his posture rigid and hard. But, now, he seemed more relaxed and his posture seemed to let go as a small smile graced his face.

"She's…a beautiful woman I've had the pleasure of knowing. She's…my wife and the mother of my children. She likes to dance, you see. And, she's exceptional at it. She doesn't like to brag nor does she like to be haughty. She's very to herself, and sometimes, you won't even realize she's in the room with how quiet she can be. Yet, you'll know when she's in a room the moment she smiles or the moment she laughs. She bites her bottom lip when she's nervous. When she's embarrassed, her face goes slightly pink, but I don't think she knows that. When she's angry, you will know. She can talk you down in a matter of minutes, and then she'll apologize as if she did something wrong and that she didn't mean to tear you down. She…"

The woman blinked at the sudden trail-off. She had been uncomfortable when she realized that the Commander was married, and now, the fact that he was obviously enamored by her.

It started to make sense every night since then of why he hired her. The Commander was obviously alone when it came to personal matters, and he talked about how his subordinates were starting to doubt him which meant he was doubting himself.

The woman had been amazed at what he shared with her, but she understood that it must be easy for this man to talk to a stranger rather than a judgmental friend.

What seemed off to her though was the fact that the Commander seemed to be… _oblivious_ to how much he loved his soon-to-be ex-wife. She had once laughed all alone at the irony of it all.

"Maybe she's trying to create some space. It would be weird if she did write you a letter amongst everything you've told me." She pointed out, remembering that the Commander was waiting for her to say something.

Erwin nodded at her answer, hesitantly, as if saying that he needed _her_ confirmation that Elyse didn't want to talk to him.

"Huh. I guess this could be her revenge then. I had ignored her for a year once." Erwin stated, absently.

With one surprised look, the woman listened intently when Erwin began to tell the story of his wonderful soon-to-be ex-wife, Elyse.

The woman watched as splashes of emotion phased in and out on the Commander's face.

 _You poor man. I used to pity myself, but you are more hopeless than me._

* * *

Erwin ignored Levi's reproachful look, but he couldn't help but be surprised at how Niles and him seemed to be a…team?

They were both standing in front of him, saluting, as they placed a photograph, faced down, on the table.

Erwin gave them a nod and they relaxed as they pointed at the picture on his desk.

"You need to see this picture." Levi demanded, coldly. Erwin raised an eyebrow, but he obeyed. And when he flipped the picture, his eyes grew wide. It was a picture of the theatre that he bought for Elyse, and he could make out her figure as she was standing in front of it besides him.

He pushed that happy memory down as it burned his mind so he could pay attention to the two men in front of him.

"What about it?" Erwin asked, trying to make sense of it.

"The murderer of my uncle's hideout was found, and they ran. But, this picture was left behind frantically in the midst of it. We think they've been stalking your family, Erwin." Levi stated, more clearly, realizing that Erwin was still focusing on the picture.

"There's also the inkling about Eren, Erwin. I know that you have your own security detail in Paris, but I don't think it's smart to have left your family without _heavy_ security. After all, this person was after Eren's biological father. Who knows if they might try to get to Eren next." Niles pointed out, trying to snatch the picture so Erwin could pay attention.

That turned out to be futile. Erwin had his hand on the picture, refusing to move, as he looked up at Niles with a glare.

"I assure you that I thought about these things, Niles. Don't think that I've left _my_ family without the proper care. Also, make sure you get that word for word, I wouldn't want anyone to hear another made-up story coming out of your mouth." Erwin stated, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the man before him.

Levi had raised an eyebrow at that, but he didn't dare question it as he saw Niles pale slightly.

"I did what I was commanded to do, Erwin. I've done my duty just as you have." Niles replied, not backing down.

Erwin didn't say anything, but Levi could see the slight curl of distaste at the corner of his mouth.

"Well, if you're both done being cryptic, I would like to get back at the subject of my family back in France." Levi said, watching them both as he could feel the tension rise.

Erwin seemed to snap back into reality at Levi's words and he nodded, sharply.

"So, what would you have me do, then? Up the security? That'll just catch the media's eye and they'll start to get sneaky. I'd rather have my family safe from those predatory dogs." Erwin stated, stubbornly.

"I get that, Erwin, but we need to send a specific group of men there. It's not only a private family matter, it's a government one." Levi argued, trying to point his argument out.

Erwin examined Levi, carefully, and Levi could see the annoyance and hesitancy in the man's eyes, and he couldn't blame him.

Levi could only think of his poor nephews and niece back home, vulnerable and innocent. It was either to have them hounded by the media or safe from the dangerous men that wanted what his Uncle Grisha had been working on.

There was no in-between.

"I'll send more men." Erwin finally stated, his hands curling up into tightened fists as he stood up.

He looked up at Levi, his gaze hard.

"Tell your sister."

Levi, taken aback by the emotion in Erwin's eyes, had no choice but to give him one sharp nod.

* * *

Levi gave another urgent letter to the messenger and he watched as the boy left, praying silently that his letter would be returned quickly.

It had been a week since Erwin had told him to tell Elyse, and he still hadn't received a response.

It was understandable.

They were in the middle of nowhere, and the closest town barely received news from any of the major countries and cities.

It was frustrating, really, not knowing what's going on as they fight to try and protect their countries.

Levi remembered how it was when he first enlisted, and he had hardened himself over the course of his time with the Army.

If they were even considered the Army.

It was what they were hidden under, and Levi knew that the secrets they held were top priority. Especially when his first mission had been an order to kill a double agent that held government secrets.

So, when he found out that this mission was about his Uncle Grisha, his heart hadn't stopped clenching at the thought of how his missing Uncle was so involved with this.

The memory of his father throwing his glass at him and his sister crying and begging her father to stop when Levi had informed them that he was leaving for the specialized unit.

It made sense now. Whatever it was that was behind the shadows had been targeting his family since day one, and Levi couldn't shake that dark feeling off.

"Excuse me?" A voice called, and Levi looked up, expectantly. His gaze softened when he saw that it was only Petra who had walked inside his tent.

"Yes?" He asked, after a small cough. Petra smiled back, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear shyly.

Ever since that almost-incident that happened in the past, Levi found himself never alone with Petra. When he re-entered her life, and she with his, they had always been surrounded by company, so for this to be happening, Levi felt himself at a loss.

Should he apologize for something that had possibly broken her but it was obviously overdue?

 _God, I'm an ass._

"I…I want to talk about what's going on with Erwin." Petra finally stated, softly. Levi almost felt guilty at the relief that flooded throughout his body. It felt too good that she didn't want to talk about…that.

"You noticed, huh?" Levi asked, secretly letting her know that he was proud at her usual instinct for knowing what was amiss.

Petra flushed at the secret praise, but she nodded in agreement.

"I actually just saw the woman he's been…hiring? I couldn't but feel a bit nosy and concerned since technically she's the one that he's been…seeing more than us. I talked to her, and Levi…it's bad." Petra finally managed to say, as she crinkled her brows.

Levi motioned for her to continue, his curiosity peaking.

"The woman mentioned that all that he's been doing with her was talking. As in no…you know. Just talking." Petra stated, blandly.

Levi widened his eyes at that, "Wait, don't tell me he's been telling her government secrets."

He could feel his anger rising at Erwin's recklessness. This fucking man was about to ruin everything if that's what was going on.

Petra was quick to shake her head no, visibly shaken by Levi's abrupt anger.

"No, no, nothing like that. It's just…the woman said that all he talked about was a woman named Elyse." Petra continued, trying to calm Levi down.

That did the trick. Instead of being angry, Levi was taken aback by his sister's name being mentioned.

"…You're telling me that Erwin has been hiring a prostitute to be a therapist." Levi said, not believing the words that came out of his mouth.

Petra nodded, but she was still tense.

"That's not the bad news, is it?" Levi asked her, dreading what else Petra would have to say.

What was worse than finding out that Erwin was talking about everything to a stranger?

"She mentioned that…She mentioned that Elyse and Erwin are divorcing." Petra finally stated, her eyes guarded.

Levi didn't have to hear anything else.

He got up and walked out, ignoring the shouts of Petra from behind him.

There.

He saw Erwin's tent, and he could make out people waiting for him outside of the tent. He didn't care. He pushed most of them away, and the cadets were about to fight him until they saw it was him. A hand dared to pull on his arm, and Levi pushed it away as he looked up at the person who tried to stop him.

"Levi, don't go in there." Mike ordered, putting an arm in front of Levi.

"Get out of my way. I have some family business to deal with." Levi warned, his glare showing that he wasn't in the mood to be messed with.

"The higher ups are in there, talking to him." Mike explained, his gaze calm and his stature ready to fight Levi if need be.

Levi bristled at that, but he forced himself to calm down. He knew that he had to push personal feelings aside when it came to government business, but that didn't stop him from managing to push Mike aside.

He let himself have a satisfied smirk at the sound of Mike's frustrated grunt as the tent flaps went down.

But, he assumed a more serious chagrin when he saw the higher ups turn around to look at him, but then his mood changed as soon as he saw Erwin's state of being.

The man looked like he saw a ghost.

Erwin's slightly tanned complexion due to all the sun beating on them during the day seemed to have drained as his gaze seemed far-off. He was standing, as if frozen, and from the aura in the tent, it seemed that whatever Levi was going to confront him about needed to wait.

Levi looked to the side and he saw the higher ups look at him, disdain in their faces at the interruption. If he dared try to guess, Levi could also see the hesitancy in their eyes.

"Squad Leader Ackerman. Did they not tell you that we have a meeting here?" One of them asked, his gaze trying to catch his.

Levi as more focused on the unmoving Erwin who was still sitting and looking far-off.

"They did. But, I needed to discuss matters with my soon-to-be ex-brother-in-law over here." Levi responded, making sure that his tone hit every single part of his insinuation.

One of the higher ups coughed in discomfort, and Erwin actually looked up in shock, as if noticing that Levi just arrived.

Levi glared at the blonde man, but instead of a scolding look as expected, Levi saw despair and shock.

"Levi…I…I'm so sorry." Erwin finally managed to say. The higher ups gave a scolding look at Erwin, and one even tried to move and stop the Commander from speaking.

"What are you talking about?" Levi asked, his eyes narrowing and he didn't like the feeling that Erwin seemed pretty much useless right now.

"Levi, we were going to talk to you about it soon, but I thought it would be smart to go to Erwin first about the news." High Commander Zachary announced, raising his hand to stop Erwin from talking any further.

Levi bristled in anger. He didn't like feeling out of the loop, and the fact that Erwin was _obeying_ so _obediently._

Something was amiss.

"Well, I'm here now. Tell me why Erwin is basically a pile of useless shit right now. Why is he saying sorry to me?" Levi demanded, turning to Zachary.

The High Commander looked at Erwin and Levi could sense the hesitancy, and he knew immediately that whatever he was about to say had to do with Erwin.

"Something has happened in the war. But, the enemy evaded us by attacking off the battleground." Zacahry began, and Levi wanted to punch the old man for taking his precious time, but he kept to himself, trying to restrain himself.

"Where did they attack then?" Levi asked, trying to get rid of the cryptic shit that the High Commander was trying to put out right now.

"France."

Levi rolled his eyes at the general answer, but that's when it hit him.

France.

"No." Levi managed to say, and it started to make sense. Erwin looking helpless, the higher ups trying to keep it cryptic. The bastards were trying to keep Erwin put.

"Was it my nephew? Did they attack Eren?" Levi asked, urgently.

His orders had been sent out too late. The enemy was a step ahead of them and Elyse was probably crying in the hospital right now. He could see the eerie setting in his mind, and the higher ups were taking their precious time answering back.

Levi walked up to one of them, and he grabbed them by the neck. Zachary didn't even blink as he watched one of his co-workers clawing on his own throat.

"Answer me now, Zachary, or I'll kill one of these old bastards right here and now." Levi ordered, and he even casted a blank look at Erwin, who seemed to return back into fucking La La Land.

"It's not your nephew, Levi. It's your sister." Zachary answered, slowly, and as if he knew that the news would let Levi grow slack as he let go of his victim.

Levi ignored the coughing man on the ground as he looked at Zachary.

He didn't know how his face looked, but Zachary's face softened just a bit as he stared back.

"Elyse Jaeger Ackerman-Smith was shot while she was going to her premiere event for her theatre. Someone had shouted that her and Erwin were traitors and before you know it, she was on the ground. Dieter was also injured in the attack since he managed to knock down the shooter." Zachary continued, and Levi almost forgot to breathe.

Elyse. His only living relative that was left. His sister.

"What's her condition?" Levi asked, breathlessly, trying to make sense of it all.

"Critical. At least one of them lived." Zachary continued, tonelessly.

One of them. No. No.

Levi couldn't believe his ears. He turned to look at Erwin, and the man had his hand over his face now.

Instead of being angry and disgusted, Levi felt confused and despair.

"She was pregnant." Levi stated, and the words felt foreign as they rolled off his tongue.

It didn't make any sense. He had just found out that Erwin and Elyse were divorcing, and then all of a sudden, his sister was shot and she lost a baby in the process.

It was too much. Even for him, it was too much.

Without another word, Levi casted a disgusted glance at all of them and left.

He wasn't about to show his despair to cowardly men.

* * *

Levi knew that it was evening by the sound of the cadets chatting as they got their dinner. The news reached them from what he heard. He stumbled out of his tent, stinking off alcohol that he hid when he felt like drinking.

He drank all of it.

They were whispering and he knew that it was about how sad he must be.

Sad?

He was angry. He was horrified. He was disgusted. He was bloodthirsty.

The higher ups were obviously here to deliver the news, but they didn't want them to leave. Those bastards. It was a push and pull with them, and Levi had made vows to uphold them.

He remembered when cadets would receive news about their families back home, but they couldn't do anything about it and Levi had felt pity for them, but now, more than ever, he hated the pity. Hange and Petra were trying to

He wanted to leave, see his sister just to make sure she was getting the right medical attention. What about the kids? Would they be okay? Nifa was left alone with them, and the security detail was light since Dieter was heavily injured.

It made Levi anxious. He was never anxious.

But, in order to not be anxious, he had to check with the man that was in the middle of the chaos.

Levi stumbled towards Erwin's tent, and he didn't even bother announcing himself as he pushed the cadets, who obviously pitied him, aside and the tent flaps.

Ah, there was the therapist/prostitute again.

She looked at him, and judging by her saddened gaze, Erwin must have told her what was going down back home.

He didn't even have to say anything as she got up and left, leaving Erwin and him alone.

Levi didn't say anything though. He'd be damned if he had to be the first to say something. He obviously didn't know what was going on due to all the drama that he was left in the dark with.

Erwin looked like hell through Levi's drunken vision. Erwin's uniform was disheveled and, by the looks of it, he had gone somewhere to sweat. His hair was matted with dirt, and Levi could guess that Erwin had sparred with Mike somewhere. But, the look in Erwin's eyes made Levi want to drink more alcohol.

Erwin seemed to be on his third bottle of whiskey.

"I tried to call the hospital. They wouldn't let me get through. All they said that there was nothing to worry about," Erwin broke away from his statement as he gave a wry chuckle, "Nothing to worry about as if I didn't lose a fucking baby."

Levi grabbed a glass from Erwin's desk as he clumsily poured himself a drink.

"I deserve it though. I fucked up, Levi. I didn't know…the doctor told me that she was just ending her first trimester. Of course, she didn't tell me. I gave her divorce papers before I left."

Levi gulped his drink down, not bothering to answer Erwin.

"I couldn't even talk to my kids. The higher ups threatened Nifa to keep them away from me. It makes sense. Zachary wants to make sure that his precious Commander stays put."

Levi nodded, not even bothering to disagree with Erwin's assessment.

"I thought that they would be safe once I left. I just made things worse."

Levi rolled his eyes, and Erwin didn't even say anything as he was busy pouring himself another drink.

A moment passed between them, and Levi felt the words spill out of his mouth, uncaringly.

"…Fuck you, Erwin. Fuck you for fucking my sister and getting her pregnant. Fuck you." Levi hissed, throwing his glass at Erwin.

He was tired of hearing Erwin's complaining. He didn't deserve to complain. This asshole caused all of this shit.

Erwin didn't even bother to dodge as the glass hit his arm, the glass shattering on the desk.

None of them bothered to clean the blood up.

* * *

"We got them." Niles stated, shoving papers in Erwin's hands.

It's been a month since they found out about what happened back in France. Niles had felt guilt eat at him when he saw Erwin bury himself in work. He knew that Erwin and Levi weren't allowed to leave the premises until their mission was complete.

Vows were vows.

Niles had manipulated Erwin to re-take those vows.

When he heard about what happened with Elyse, Niles could only feel remorse at the thought of the young woman. If it had been Marie, Niles would've fought tooth and nail to go back home and see her.

Erwin wasn't allowed to do that.

He had duty ingrained in his very soul. Erwin owed the Army for his life, so Erwin gave it to them.

Marie didn't know that. Elyse didn't know that.

Niles did. Levi did.

Erwin could've easily told the women in his life about it, but he never did. That's why Niles found it easy to comply to the higher ups order to bring Erwin Smith back to the specialized unit when he talked to innocent and naïve Elyse about her husband's fake past.

So, he spent a month, hunting the assholes down, the ones who dared to overstep their boundaries as they left the battleground to make it more personal.

They managed to find them, and Niles made sure that they restrained them and reported it to the higher ups.

The higher ups agreed to Niles proposition.

They had the men; Erwin and Levi could go back to France for a week.

"You can go home now, Erwin." Niles stated, slowly. Erwin looked at the papers on his desk, his fists tightened.

"It's not enough to simply have them detained, Niles. I want my justice." Erwin hissed, angrily.

"And you will. Just go back to France and check up on your family first." Niles promised, trying to not punch the stubborn man in the head.

Erwin stood up then, grabbing Niles shoulders, making him face him.

"Give me your word. You won't move on with anything until I come back." Erwin insisted.

Niles nodded, his body tensing at the intensity of Erwin's glare.

He was glad that he wouldn't be on the other end when Erwin came back.

* * *

"I'm staying."

"Levi."

"I don't fucking trust Dok, and I refuse to leave these bastards without making sure that they're suffering."

"Don't be unreasonable."

"…Erwin, check on my sister and my nephews and niece. I'll take care of everything here."

"…Are you sure?"

Levi stared at the training combats outside as he turned his back towards Erwin, "I'm sure. I'll be making sure those bastards pay for making my family suffer."

* * *

A:N/ Sorry for the late update, and I'll try to update asap.

It's a short chapter compared to the others, but I wanted you guys to get an update so here it is!

This chapter seems a bit rushed, and I'm sorry that it was. I tried to evoke as much emotion as I could. I love you guys and I hope you enjoy.


	27. Chapter 27

A:N/ Hi guys! Thank you all for your support! And, so here's another chapter update!

I don't own anyone, but Elyse.

* * *

"Eren, you need to eat." Nifa stated, softly, trying to get the boy in front of her to open his mouth. Eren shook his head, stubbornly, and turned his head to the side.

Nifa sighed, letting the spoon drop back into the cereal bowl.

It's been a week since the incident happened with Elyse. Nifa heard the details from the police as she ran towards the hospital, trying to balance three little kids who were clamoring for their mother after school. The rest of the security detail were ordered around by her as she made sure to make her way to the hospital room that was open first.

The doctors and nurses had stopped Nifa from going to Elyse's hospital room first, so Nifa had no choice but to visit Dieter first. The man was fine, but he was also grim. He had refused to eat and refused to make eye contact with Nifa as a nurse checked on his bandages.

"She lost the baby, Nifa. I had been too late." Dieter finally stated, his head hung low. Nifa placed a supporting hand on his shoulder, shaking her head.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Dieter. We all should've been more careful, not only you." Nifa whispered, fiercely.

Dieter didn't say anything, and Nifa took that cue to leave once the nurse informed her that Elyse was awake. With a final nod from Dieter, Nifa had taken her leave and left Dieter's room to walk slowly towards Elyse's.

She knew what had happened. Every single news outlet was blasting about how Elyse Jaeger-Ackerman Smith had been shot, but what the world didn't know was the little secret that she had tried so hard to hide.

In the end, there was no more secret, and Nifa's heart sunk at the thought.

When Nifa had arrived inside, it had broken her heart when she looked up.

Elyse looked like hell. Haggard, broken, and apathetic, the bright, young heiress was not in that room and Nifa, at first, hadn't recognized her.

Nurses took their leave and so did the doctor, but he had stopped to inform Nifa with a solemn tone, "Make sure she eats something."

Nifa had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Once the door had shut behind her, Nifa approached Elyse's bedside, carefully.

Elyse hadn't even bothered to look up.

Nifa examined the young woman before her, and she couldn't help but tear up at the sight of the bloodied clothing and matted dark brown waves that covered Elyse's pale, haggard face. She had gently tucked a dark stray hair behind Elyse's ear, and she closed her eyes for a moment as Elyse grabbed Nifa's hand, weakly. She held back tears when Elyse's forehead met her own hand, and when the sobs came, Nifa had no choice but to sob with her.

It had been a week since then. A week.

The kids knew that there was something wrong the moment Elyse was brought home, carried to her room by an injured Dieter, who refused to not be babied by anyone.

It didn't help that Elyse hasn't come out since.

Mikasa had been moody, refusing to leave the floor as she sat in front of her mother's bedroom. Nifa even had caught her once in Erwin's bedroom, holding on to one of her father's pillows.

Armin had been crying constantly, wanting to know what happened to his mother and why she wasn't there to read to him anymore. He had asked Nifa if it was something he'd done.

Eren, now Eren, he was the toughest one. He took the role of comforting his siblings, and he was adamant about knocking on his mother's door even if Nifa would stop him. He knew something was wrong.

One day, he argued with Nifa. An argument that came out of a five-year old's mouth that broke Nifa's heart.

"Eren, you need to leave your mother alone. She needs to be alone; do you understand?"

Eren had looked at her then, defiant and stubborn, one that would make his uncle Levi proud.

"Mama hasn't been with us. Papa would be worried." Eren stated, jutting his chin out.

"This time, the situation…is different. Your father will understand."

Eren looked down then. His feet shuffling and his face scrunched up in a disappointed grunt and Nifa was tempted to even bang on Elyse's door in that moment.

He looked up at Nifa, his green eyes wide and watery, "Papa would know what to do."

The sound of the metal spoon clanging on the cereal bowl brought Nifa back to the present as she looked at Armin, who played absently with his cereal.

Close to giving up, she was grateful when she saw Dieter make an appearance in the kitchen. He gave Nifa another apologetic look and she pretended not to notice the dark circles under his eyes. The kids were always distracted when Dieter came around just because he was the last person that was with their mother.

It's as if they felt that maybe their mother's presence would somehow be felt with the last person who was with her.

Dieter, poor Dieter. He was still feeling guilty and horrible for what happened that the security detail had come up to Nifa about how Dieter would be barking orders 24/7 at them, and with that, Dieter never slept.

Nifa got up, leaving the kids with Dieter, and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder before disappearing to go upstairs and check on the food that she would place in front of Elyse's door.

As she began her trail up the stairs, she could hear Eren's relentless questioning about what happened a week ago to his mother, and Dieter's failed attempts to deflect the questions. The Estate had been dreary from all this chaos, and Nifa sighed at the realization of how dusty the staircase was.

She traced the embellishments of the grand walls that shone in the light of the morning, and she couldn't help but remember the memories of Elyse doing the same as Erwin showed her the Estate, back when everything had been unstable in the beginning. A young, pregnant wife of a man she barely knew, Elyse had been such a tiny, fragile thing in Nifa's eyes.

And that poor, fragile thing proved to be stronger than most, yet always caught up in the most miserable settings of life. It was enough for Nifa to want to have the power to stop everything that had been damaging someone who didn't deserve it.

The thought of damage reminded Nifa of one thing that had been shadowing the Estate. It was a well-kept secret that the Commander and his wife had been at odds since the whole thing with that Braun Lexington blew up. But, Nifa truly felt that it started when Erwin had left to obey his orders.

She would never forget how Elyse sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the bundle of paper in her hands.

Nifa didn't ask about the papers.

Erwin hadn't even spoken of papers to her or Dieter. All he had wanted was for them to stay behind and protect his own.

But, they had failed.

Nifa paused in front of Elyse's door. She couldn't see anything anymore. No more happiness in the Estate and no more heated arguments overheard.

All she saw was untouched food.

* * *

Eren knew something wasn't right.

He knew it the moment he saw his mama, unconscious, being carried to her room.

They didn't know that he knew the T.V. was talking about his mama when they tried to secretly watch their grown-up shows when they thought the children were asleep.

He knew that someone did something very bad to his mama.

He kept his brother and sister occupied at most, but they would just beg him to try and get mama out of her room.

Dieter and Nifa protested when he asked, but he knew that there was something wrong. What was wrong with them, anyways? He deserved to know what was wrong. His _father_ was the one who left him in charge, not them.

He had wanted to prove them wrong, so he had puffed his chest out every day, knocking on his mother's door to prove his point. He would wait for her to answer the door, but he received silence in return.

Just how Nifa and Dieter would.

It frustrated him to no end. His brother and sister were upset, and so was he, but he couldn't react to anything if he had to be the master of the house while his father was away.

He promised.

Eren had counted each day that his mother wouldn't answer. It had been seven days at this point.

Seven was such a big number.

"When is papa coming home?" Eren asked, cutting through the silence as the sound of silverware hitting porcelain sounded at the dinner table.

Nifa and Dieter shared _another_ look, and Eren knew that look was meant for them to plan their answers, and he hated it.

He absolutely hated it.

"Your father will come home soon. We just don't know when. He's somewhere far away where we can't reach him easily." Nifa replied, smoothly.

Eren's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Did you tell him what is happening to mama?" Eren asked, urgently.

Nifa gave him a sympathetic look, one that almost made Eren feel bad for giving her such a hard time.

"I'm sure that he's coming as quickly as possible, Eren. Right now, what you can do is eat."

Eren nodded, helplessly, and stared at his warped reflection in the silverware he held.

* * *

It was barely past midnight when Nifa was awakened by Dieter frantically waking her up.

"Nifa, you need to wake up." Dieter whispered, shoving her blankets away as he grabbed her arm to get her up.

Nifa barely had time to register what was happening until she felt Dieter drag her out of her house that was built for her next to the Estate.

"Dieter, what are you-?!" Nifa cut herself off when she realized that Dieter was dragging her to the Estate.

"Is it the kids? Oh my God, is it Elyse?" Nifa asked, her vision desperately trying to get used to the night.

Dieter didn't respond as he opened the door for Nifa, ushering her in. Nifa looked around the living room, noticing that the fireplace was it and that bags were everywhere…

That's when she noticed the figure sitting in front of the fire.

"C-Commander?" Nifa asked, breathlessly.

The figure turned to face her, and she noticed the weariness on his face in the dim light. He had grown facial hair, understandably, and his figure was more intimidating more than ever due to the bulk he gained from all the fighting that he must've one over the couple of months he had been gone.

The way he sat was one who was too focused and concentrated or else the dam was about to break within.

He had a blank look, and Nifa understood the reality of the situation.

"Commander, did you just arrive?" Nifa asked, not forgetting her place she had when he first hired her.

"Yes, I did. The plane landed an hour ago." Erwin stated, softly, his voice strange with the gruffness and hoarseness.

With the sound of his voice, Nifa felt all her frustration, anger, and sadness rush out of her body as she walked up to him, her eyes narrowed.

"You don't deserve to be here." Nifa stated, lowly. That seemed to surprise Dieter as he walked up to Nifa, grabbing her arm to pull her back.

Erwin held up a hand, and he nodded at Nifa, urging her to continue.

"You weren't here when this happened. You have no right to act like you just came home from a damn casual business meeting. Your _wife_ hasn't come out of her room since the incident. The kids have been going through _hell_. Not to mention, the fact that you dare show your face around here when the last thing you did was serve Elyse with fucking _divorce_ papers." Nifa hissed, angrily.

That last part took the two men by surprise. Nifa stood her ground.

"She didn't have to tell me. She didn't have to say anything." Nifa stated, making sure that her statement would hit the man before her like she intended.

It did.

Erwin closed his eyes, letting Nifa's words sink in.

"Nifa…I…I didn't know." Erwin finally managed to say, his head hung low.

Nifa fought the urge to scream at him and wring his neck, "That's no excuse, Eriwn. You and I both know that that is no excuse."

"Nifa." Dieter's warning sounded behind her and Nifa finally relaxed and she let Dieter pull her away from the broken man.

"I'm sorry, Commander. As you can see, it's been a long time." Dieter whispered, his voice soft.

Erwin shook his head, standing up as he walked towards the staircase. He looked up into the darkness, as if he dreaded what waited for him there.

"Nifa is right. I…I should've known better. I left them here thinking that maybe life would be better for them. I thought that the danger would be over. I selfishly thought that they were after me, not…her." Erwin whispered that last part, his hand tightening into a fist.

He turned to look at Dieter, knowing fully well that Nifa was too mad to answer or look at him at all.

"What has happened? Tell me everything."

Dieter didn't even know where to start.

* * *

Elyse didn't know how many minutes ticked by. She just knew that she didn't want to get out of bed.

Everything hurt.

Everything was tiring.

Knocks on the door just sounded like her heart breaking each and every day. She lost sense of herself and she lost sense of…anything, really.

She lost too many people in her life.

Her mother. Her uncle. Her aunt. Uncle Grisha. Her father.

And, now, her child.

All her fault. Everything was her fault. She just knew it was.

She could hear her children, crying out for her. She would cry when she would hear them, but she didn't want them to see her like…this.

A shell of a person that they never knew.

Light.

Was it morning already?

How many days has it been...?

Bathroom, she needed to go to her bathroom.

She got up from bed, her head pounding but she persevered nonetheless. When was the last time she ate or drank anything?

Oh well. She just needed to make her way to the bathroom and she can go back to bed.

Why did she feel like she was falling...?

* * *

Hearing his kids scream with happiness was like a dream come true for him. He wrapped his arms around them, kissing their foreheads, and shushing them when they got too loud.

"Are you home for good?" Eren asked, pleadingly.

Erwin had to ignore the rush of guilt that washed over him as he stared into Eren's green eyes.

"Not yet, no. I can only be here for a couple of weeks. Eren, please— "

Eren pushed his father away, his glare hateful.

"Why can't you just stay for once?" Eren asked, softly, before he broke out into a run up the stairs.

Erwin closed his eyes, and he looked down at Mikasa and Armin. He noticed that his daughter looked noticeably skinny and Armin looked noticeably tired.

"I'm sorry. I really am." Erwin whispered, hoping they would at least understand.

Mikasa simply looked away and Armin slowly pulled away from his father to run after Eren.

Erwin watched hopelessly as Armin disappeared up the stairs.

"Mama got hurt, Papa." Mikasa's small voice stated, calling for his attention.

Erwin looked at his daughter, picking her up as he got up.

"I know, darling. That's why I came home as soon as I could." Erwin said, softly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. He placed a soft kiss on her cheek before she snuggled against the crook of his neck.

"Eren said that it's because someone was mad at you and Mama. He said that you're going to fix everything. That you're going to get Mama out of her room." Mikasa continued, her hair tickling his neck.

Erwin struggled not to break tear up at his daughter's words.

"I'm going to try, darling."

* * *

Erwin helped the kids get ready to school. Well, more like he watched as they left for school, and he pretended that it didn't hurt when Eren and Armin refused to say goodbye to him. Mikasa was the only one who kissed her father's stubbled cheek.

They were getting older. He had forgotten how smart his kids were getting, and he underestimated how much this would affect them.

Talk about Father of The Damn Year.

He stared at the bags in the living room that he had brought back. He knew that there was no point in unpacking, but Levi made sure that he wouldn't try and escape from going back home that he sent the man with more than enough of his possessions that he had originally brought.

Dieter had left to be the bodyguard to the kids, and Nifa was busy trying to clean the Estate and cook in the kitchen, trying her best to avoid him.

He didn't blame her.

He hated himself too.

The thought of it made him look up the stairs as he contemplated his next move.

God, this was so fucked up. How did he go from knowing exactly how to handle a situation to not knowing what the fuck to do?

Taking a deep breath, Erwin walked up the stairs, deciding that opening the door would be the best first stage.

* * *

The door was locked and no one answered, so, of course, his best option was to kick down the door.

And thank God he did.

The sight of a pale, terribly skinny Elyse on the floor was enough for Erwin to call Nifa for help. Nifa rushed up the stairs and her face paled at the sight before she obeyed Erwin's order to call the private doctor.

Erwin breathed a sigh of relief once he felt a faint pulse as he gingerly place two fingers against her neck. He picked her up, gently, and placed her on her bed. She was so…fragile.

Her eyes held dark circles underneath them, and her lips were dry and cracked, lacking moisture from the lack of water she hadn't been drinking.

Her shiny, dark waves were lackluster and flat. Her smooth face now had gaunt lines of her bones sticking out and so did her body. Gone was the youthful glow she once had replaced with a mature sense of gloom that…

He had caused. He did this. He did this to her.

If he hadn't been so stubborn into leaving his family alone and dealing with circumstances himself, this wouldn't have happened. Elyse had tried to reason with him, but he had been so angry and disgusted by her choice that he ignored her. He convinced himself that he was right, and Elyse was too young to understand the repercussions and consequences that she had caused.

If only he had been patient and willing…

"FUCK!" He yelled, punching the wall. He ignored the reddening of his knuckles as he knelt by Elyse's bedside, waiting for Nifa and the doctor.

When they arrived, no one questioned the indent in the wall.

* * *

Elyse woke up to the sound of whispering. She blinked a couple of times, and she noticed that she had something in her skin…An IV?

Her surroundings were still a bit blurred, but she could make out two figures by her bedside.

"She should be fine if you can get her to eat as soon as she wakes. She should be hydrated, but it's very important to get her to eat little by little. Do you understand?"

"Yes, thank you, Doc."

Elyse couldn't believe her ears. Her eyes were wide open at this point, and she heard the door shut and dreaded to look to the side.

"Elyse…? Are you awake?" Erwin's voice asked, softly.

She couldn't believe her eyes. He was there, standing by her bedside, dressed in that Army uniform with his facial hair and bulky form. It wasn't the Erwin she was used to, but it was Erwin nonetheless.

Just like that, all the despair and hate she felt was directed at him.

The bastard has left, not wanting to do anything with her anymore. He fought with her almost every day before he left. He had the _audacity_ to come here and try to act like the good fucking husband he hasn't been since.

"…Why are you here?" Elyse managed to ask, her voice sounding foreign to her. When was the last time she spoke to anyone, actually?

"I heard what happened. They allowed me to come home for a couple of weeks." Erwin's voice replied, his voice still holding that Erwin-like straight-forwardness.

Elyse didn't respond. Instead, she felt like sitting up. She found herself being helped by Erwin, and she shrugged out of his grasp when she found her balance.

Erwin, thankfully, didn't say anything.

"You need to eat something, Elyse." Erwin continued, and Elyse watched as Erwin grabbed a plate of food and bring it to her. Elyse didn't bother to accept it. Instead, she stared at him then at the plate of food.

Erwin sighed, and he placed the plate on her lap. He sat down on her bed, and he looked at her, pointedly.

When Elyse didn't even bother to make a move, Erwin picked up a fork and got a small portion of food and brought it to her closed lips.

"Elyse, eat." Erwin ordered, his gruff voice cracking a bit when he stared at her bony face.

Elyse didn't move. She simply stared at him, apathetically.

"Elyse-"

"Why are you here, Erwin."

The question, or maybe the fact that she spoke, surprised Erwin, and Elyse felt a bit of satisfaction at his reaction.

"I already told you, Elyse." Erwin replied, carefully.

"Why are you really here, Erwin." Elyse asked, her hazel gaze now directed towards him, and she could see that he was at a total loss.

The manipulative strategist that he had been was now gone. He looked like an insect caught in a spider web, desperate to get out.

"…Elyse, look I-"

"They told you about the baby, didn't they? They told you that I was pregnant and that the shooter shot my stomach, and the baby is gone." Elyse interrupted him, her gaze unflinching.

Erwin flinched.

"Yes, that's what they told me."

Elyse couldn't help but scoff at that, her bitterness seeping out her mouth.

"See, I don't understand why you're here, Erwin. You gave me divorce papers, and that means you don't have to deal with me anymore. Baby? At least, you don't have to worry about that anymore."

The poison was spilling out of her mouth, and she couldn't find it within herself to care.

She didn't _feel_ anything.

There was no point in trying to be careful about her words because there was nobody she cared enough to stop her.

Erwin had left the moment he gave her those papers. He was gone the moment she messed up with Braun. He was gone the moment she found out she was pregnant.

He had been gone, and she was tired of trying to hold on to someone who didn't no longer care enough to fix whatever they once had.

"Elyse, enough." Erwin hissed, his gaze now hardened at her words.

Elyse cocked her head to the side, slightly, a dangerous smile coyly formed with her lips.

"Or what, Erwin? You're going to force me to eat? You're going to take away the children? You're going to kick me out of the Estate? Go ahead, Erwin. Do whatever you want."

Erwin didn't even respond. Instead, he stared at her, his eyes moving, trying to get a read on her.

But, she knew he would fail in trying.

"There's nothing else you can do, Erwin." Elyse finally sighed, resting against the fluffed up pillows on her backside.

Erwin looked at her hands, and she knew he was fighting with himself, wondering if he should grab them or just leave them alone.

"There must be something that I can do, Elyse. Please." Erwin finally said, his hand gingerly touching hers.

Elyse pushed him away.

"You can leave." She stated, her tone hard and tired.

She watched his face crumble, and she picked up the fork and stabbed her food.

* * *

Elyse wasn't ready to see anyone else just yet. She had barred the door once more, occasionally opening the door when Nifa would place down food, but she didn't eat.

She heard the kids' chatter, and she truly did miss them. But, right now, all she wanted to do was be left alone. She was tired of being the pillar, all she wanted to be was…alone.

She loved them. She did, but Erwin was back home now. Let him do the work he had so carelessly and recklessly left behind.

She had felt so powerful when Erwin had left her room, dejected and confused. She was no longer the weak one, but then again, ironically, she still was.

The doctor came to check on her again and he had scolded her about not eating, and she just politely nodded.

As he examined her body, Elyse looked down at her bandaged stomach and she flinched when the doctor unwrapped them. The sight of the bruises and the stitches was enough for Elyse to start sobbing. The doctor tried his best to comfort her as she began to wiggle around, trying to fight him and trying to get him to leave.

The doctor started calling for help, and Elyse heard the door open, that annoying, familiar voice commanding her to calm down. She screamed at him, the moment he wrapped his arms around her upper torso, trying to restrain her.

"No, no, no. Let me go. This is your fault! If I hadn't met you!" Elyse cried out, trying to get away from the tight hold that tried to soothe her.

All it felt like was someone trying to constrict her. All her life, someone was trying to constrict her.

It wasn't long before darkness shrouded over her.

Erwin watched as Elyse was put to sleep after the doctor gave her a tranquilizing shot. The hardness of her face that seemed foreign disappeared as her face lost the lines that had appeared. The bones sticking out seemed to lessen when her face relaxed and a small sigh escaped her lips.

He felt like he was holding on to a pile of bones, one that he had to pick up from the battlefield not so long ago.

To think, he returned to a personal battlefield of his own.

"We need to resort to a feeding tube soon, Mr. Smith. This is not looking good." The doctor informed him, solemnly.

Erwin contemplated his words, stroking Elyse's cold cheek wordlessly.

"Tomorrow, if she doesn't eat by tomorrow, then we'll take drastic measures."

* * *

Elyse woke up to the sound of clanging dishes and something being set on her lap. She sat up, slowly, noticing the newly bandaged midriff. The memory of being tranquilized came to her, and she remembered fighting Erwin as he tried to wrap his arms around her to comfort her.

Speak of the devil and he will appear. She was greeted by Erwin's serious gaze as he sat by her bedside, pointing to the tray on her lap.

"You need to eat, Elyse." Erwin stated, curtly.

"You need to leave me alone." Elyse replied, softly, wincing at the sound of her weak voice.

As if that proved his point, Erwin gave her a pointed look, his arms crossed as he leaned back in the chair to get comfortable.

Elyse glared at him. How dare he.

"I'm not leaving until you eat, Elyse." Erwin stated as a matter-of-factly.

"Well, guess I'm not hungry." Elyse hissed through gritted teeth, pushing the tray away until it got off her lap and on to the side of the bed.

Erwin didn't say anything for a moment until he leaned in, his face shrouded in mystery as Elyse was forced to look at him, his hands on each side of her face.

"The doctor said that he'll insert a feeding tube if you don't eat which means you won't be sitting up anymore nor will you be able to use the bathroom. There's a tube for that too, Elyse. You will be strapped in this bed." Erwin warned her, his voice low and grave.

Elyse looked away, her heart sinking.

"The kids can't see you like this either. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror, Elyse? It's been a week since you ate and you're already thin as it is. Do you want the kids to start blaming themselves more?"

"More?" Elyse asked, her heart breaking at the thought of her kids blaming themselves, constantly crying. She remembered hearing crying and pounding at the door, but she had reasoned with herself, saying that it was better this way.

She had been reckless with her latest pregnancy. She had almost dropped one of them because of the press. She had almost had them harassed by the press. All because she lacked responsibility. Nifa and Dieter would be better for them at this point, that's what kept telling herself.

"They think that you don't want to see them because you don't love them anymore." Erwin informed her, his tone apathetic but when she faced him, she could see the sadness in his eyes.

She wouldn't pity him, but…she would eat for her kids.

Her kids. They needed her, and that's all that mattered right now.

That's what got her to eat her first bite, ignoring the man beside her.

* * *

A week passed, and the doctor praised Elyse's return to health. He monitored her vitals and he hummed satisfactorily at the sight of meat on her bones.

He also was wary when he unwrapped her bandages, but Elyse proved to be good as she looked away. If she could sit still, it didn't mean that she had to look at the scar that proved what she had lost.

"I think it would be good if you got out of bed today, Miss Elyse. The weather has been warm as well, and I hear that the kids are done with school since it's the summer season." The doctor encouraged her warmly.

Elyse gave him the tiniest of smiles, and she watched as he took his leave, thanking him.

Erwin didn't come to her room ever since the day he forced her to eat. He had left alone like she wanted, and she hoped that he wasn't in the Estate when she would open the door.

"Elyse…?" Nifa's voice asked from behind the door, and Elyse took a deep breath, getting up very slowly.

She managed to get to the door, and when she turned the knob and opened it slightly, Elyse took in the sight of Nifa and the blurred figures of her kids as they ran to hug her legs.

She almost cried when their heads looked up at her, their eyes wet with unshed tears. It didn't help when Nifa joined them as she wrapped her arms around her.

Warmness was something she had noticeably missed.

* * *

The garden that she had built with the kids flourished. She watched in awe as she was dragged by Armin and Mikasa as they exclaimed their excitement atop of each other's squeals.

Elyse noticed that Eren was walking beside her, warily watching her.

"Eren, is everything okay?" Elyse asked, softly, her hand gently placed atop of his mop of dark brown hair.

Eren looked away, silently, for a moment.

"Did someone hurt you, Mama?" Eren asked, finally. Elyse took a deep breath, forgetting that her kids needed an explanation about what happened.

"…Yes, someone did, Eren. But, let's not think about it, okay? I'm fine now. Even though it took a bit of time, I'm here now." Elyse reassured him, bending down as Armin and Mikasa paused to run back to where they were.

"You promise?" Eren final asked, his voice in a mere whisper.

"I promise." Elyse stated, heatedly. She placed a small kiss on his forehead, trying to hide the stray tear that rolled own her cheek.

* * *

Dinner was…quiet. Elyse didn't know how to react. Eren was obviously angry at Erwin, and Erwin wasn't paying any attention to anyone but his food and letters on the table. Erwin didn't even betray any surprise or emotion when he saw Elyse at the dinner table. Mikasa was the one who kissed her father's cheek, but other than that, Armin looked a bit torn as he looked at Eren, whose head was turned away.

The tension in the room didn't help, and Elyse felt the rush of despair rise within her when she noticed that Erwin tried to wipe Eren's face, but Eren pushed his father's hand away.

With the complications between her and Erwin, she never wished her kids to be at odds with their own father.

She wasn't about to be the in-between mediator she had once been for her own brother and father.

"Eren, you don't push your father's hand away when he's trying to help you." Elyse scolded from the other side of the table, giving a pointed look at her son.

Erwin looked at her, a bit surprised, and before he could open his mouth to say anything, Elyse shot him a warning glare.

Eren was already looking at her, his glare motivated her to keep her own stand.

"Help us? He's going to leave us again anyways." Eren stated with a pout.

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that, but she would question Erwin when…well, whenever she felt like she had to talk to him. To be honest, it didn't surprise her that much. Knowing how Nile Dok worked, she knew that the private Army Erwin worked for was one that didn't give breaks easily.

"He's doing his job, Eren. At least he came back when he knew he had to." Elyse said, trying to make her point without making eye contact with Erwin.

Eren stared at his plate, and he pushed it aside before leaving the table. Armin followed after him, biting his lip as he hurriedly kissed his father and mother's cheek. Mikasa still sat at the table, obediently looking and to and fro from her parents.

With a small sigh, Elyse looked down at her own plate after cutting Mikasa's own steak into tiny little pieces.

All was not well anymore.

* * *

Elyse had to swallow her pride. She could despise the man all she wanted, but she knew she had to talk to Erwin about the kids so she could at least fix the little problem.

That didn't mean she had to fix it this instant.

Well, that we her reason as to why she was enjoying her alone time on the porch. She was trying to catch up with the news and the ballet theatre she had missed for two weeks now, and it wasn't looking well at all. The news had her face printed on it, and it was all the world was talking about. It said she was at home now, and she was a bit bitter that the press finally stayed away from her.

All it took for her was to get shot.

The ballet theatre was declining due to what happened. They thought her getting shot meant that anything associated with her wasn't safe, and she still had to contact Freida, who had left several frantic voicemails about how the Estate was heavily guarded and how she had been banned.

It was all a mess.

She took a deep breath, and she snuggled in the throw and rocking chair she was in. The air was clear, and the humidity as high just yet which made her happy.

It was the little things that helped her get started with trying to get back on track, but the bandages…

She absently rubbed the rough texture of the bandages, and she blinked away the tears that formed. She wasn't allowed to dance just yet, and if she was truly honest with herself, she didn't think she would go back to it.

It was too hard.

She had been…terrified when she had been pregnant, but she was happy nonetheless. It didn't matter that Erwin was intent on divorcing her at that point, and all that matter to Elyse was that she was going to have another beautiful child.

And that child was taken away from her in a matter of seconds.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hoarse cough and she looked to her side and noticed that Erwin was on the porch, not even realizing that she was there.

She watched as he lit a cigar and began to inhale and exhale smoke, his gaze straight ahead in the darkness.

"You should quit smoking. Armin had recently asked if he could try it when you were gone." Elyse found herself saying, smirking softly at the sudden surprised movement Erwin did when he turned to face her.

"…I didn't know you were out here. I thought you were sleeping." Erwin stated, and she didn't understand where that came from.

"Well, I've been…out of it for two weeks now. I needed to catch up with what's going on. Besides, the kids finally fell asleep, and I needed fresh air." Elyse sighed, uncaring of the fact that she was talking to the man she swore she would try to avoid.

She knew her attempted avoidance wouldn't last. Besides, this would kill two birds with one stone.

"Can you explain why Eren is angry at you?" Elyse asked, changing the subject.

Erwin looked down, guiltily, for a moment, before taking another puff of his cigar and looking straight ahead once more.

"I'm leaving soon. I told him that I was only allowed minimal time, and he understandably got aggravated with me." Erwin stated, nonchalantly.

Elyse nodded at that, a sigh escaping her mouth.

"I'll fix it." Elyse finally said, snuggling closer in the rocking chair.

Erwin shook his head, "It's fine, Elyse. Let him be angry. There's no point in fixing it because he's right. We can only do so much."

Elyse scoffed at that, "We?"

"Sorry, you're right. You." Erwin replied, not even trying to argue with Elyse.

Elyse also didn't bother.

Whatever was between them. Whatever arguments or agreements, the time to pretend was now over.

The reality was just beginning.

* * *

A:N/ MIDTERMS ARE OVER, SO HERE'S A CHAPTER THAT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO WRITE.

ANGST EVERYWHERE.

Thank you guys for understanding that this took time. Also, on my Tumblr, erwinswaifu, I reblogged a couple of things that is under the #theartoftheunexpectedfic which reflects the story and some scenes. So, if you're waiting and such, I'm on Tumblr


	28. Chapter 28

A:N/ School has calmed down a bit, so here's another update! Thanks for patiently waiting, loves!

Elyse belongs to me, everyone else doesn't.

* * *

Erwin's stuff was already packed.

Elyse knew that his time for visiting was up as she eyed the dirtied bags piled up next to the doorway. She didn't say anything about it. Instead, she focused on putting Mikasa's hair up since she was going to take the kids with her to the theatre.

Ever since that shared moment of silence on the porch that night, Elyse noticed that Erwin was never…there anymore.

When the kids were playing while she still had to rest a bit from the wounds in her room, she noticed that all she ever saw was Erwin's backside facing her as he worked on papers and talked on his phone while he watched the kids play in the backyard.

Elyse didn't miss it when Eren would look in his father's direction and glare at him.

That glare reminded of a certain brother of hers when it came to their own father not so long ago.

Elyse had tried to talk to Eren about it, but Eren would ignore her words and ignore the fact that his father would also try to make amends.

Not like Erwin was really _trying_ in Elyse's opinion.

Compared to how he was before he was shipped off to God knows where, Erwin wasn't all there anymore.

He would always be busy with something. Papers, laptops, and phones were always a distraction when it came to Erwin's attention. He joined them when it came to eating at the table or when it came to taking care of the kids, but he never looked up unless he had to.

Usually, something like that would appall Elyse, but instead, she just felt…done.

And maybe, Erwin was just done, too.

His stuff can be piled up and he could leave the next day because if Elyse was truly being honest with herself…

Erwin Smith was just the stranger she should've never met in the first place.

But, the kids always came first and Elyse wasn't going to have Eren be mad at his father when his father could be…gone in a matter of minutes.

She had a plan in mind, and as she made sure that the kids were dressed, Elyse smiled and thanked Dieter for opening the door for them.

The theatre awaits.

* * *

Elyse loved the silence that surrounded them as they got out of the car. The press wasn't bothering her anymore due to the social networks that advocated for her privacy. Fans of her or Erwin or both had blamed the press for being the ones who would publicize Elyse's life that the almost assassination was due to press's negligence of privacy.

Elyse couldn't be more grateful to the people who cared that much for her and her family that she was now planning to get back in the theatre and use the love for motivation to get back at it.

The kids ran into the theatre and Elyse took a deep breath before entering. The theatre was as beautiful as ever; well-kept and grand. She saw some dancers and singers onstage, practicing or talking. It was music to her ears.

She was looking forward to greeting her old company, but the sudden stuttered stop of Eren as he noticed who was on the stage as they got closer also made Elyse remember why she was there in the first place.

She looked up on the stage and was greeted by Erwin's strong backside once more as he was giving orders here and there.

"Krista, I need you to partner up with Reiner for this part." Erwin's voice commanded, and Elyse noticed that they obeyed him quickly.

She swallowed, and she walked up the stairs and on to the stage.

The first person to notice her tackled her to the ground, and Elyse struggled to breathe through the mess of dark hair that was on her face.

"Oh my God, Elyse!" Freida's voice wailed in her ear, and Elyse giggled softly as she patted her friend's back.

"Freida, I'm struggling to breathe over here." Elyse stated, trying to push her friend off her gently.

Freida immediately sat up, helping Elyse sit up with her.

"I'm so happy you're here! And you look good, so I'm guessing that everything is…healed." Freida stated, trying to find the right words as she hugged her friend tightly.

Elyse laughed, and as Freida babbled on, she looked around and noticed that the company was whispering and smiling enthusiastically, knowing fully well that Freida would murder them if they tried and hugged Elyse when she wasn't done hugging her.

As soon as Freida let go, Elyse greeted the company, who in turn smiled and hugged her in return.

When that was done, Elyse turned around to look for her kids and she noticed that they were sitting in the first row of seats instead of going on stage. Mikasa was about to go onstage, but Elyse noticed that Armin was talking to a pouty Eren.

With that reminder, Elyse turned to face Erwin, who was busy with talking to the dancers who were still in practice.

She took a deep breath, and she walked towards the man. With a bright smile on her face, Elyse placed a hand on his forearm, gently, which seemed to surprise both of them as he looked at her and she blinked.

When was the last time she touched him?

Before she could even think about that, Elyse removed her hand and she didn't miss the disappointment in his gaze and the weird feeling that washed over her.

"Elyse." Erwin greeted, more like stated. Yet, the charming smile he pasted on seemed to charm the people that surrounded them.

Elyse smiled back, hoping that her smile looked as sincere as his acted one was.

"I thought I would visit with the kids. Nifa told me that you would be here today to oversee some of the production before you left." Elyse stated, warmly.

Erwin didn't say anything as he still studied her, but he nodded.

Before Elyse could say anything else, Erwin announced that it was break time, and she didn't hesitate when Erwin walked off the stage.

She followed and he turned to face her, quickly. It was dark in the corner, but Elyse was grateful for the privacy.

"You need to rest." Erwin stated, the warmness that was in his voice disappearing, and Elyse struggled not to roll her eyes at the man in front of her.

"The doctor said I'm fine. He even suggested that it would be good to have a change of scenery. Besides, you're leaving tomorrow, aren't you?" Elyse asked, pointedly.

Erwin gritted his teeth, and Elyse watched as his jaw clenched.

"I didn't think you would care." He finally stated, his gaze indifferent.

"I don't." Elyse said, noticing the blue-eyed gaze made her feel a little bit too uncomfortable as she stated her indifference.

She motioned towards Eren, who was now alone as he watched Armin and Mikasa talk to the dancers and singers.

"I'm here for him. You need to make amends with your son, Erwin. You can't leave without fixing this. You and I know that." Elyse whispered, heatedly.

Erwin's gaze shifted towards the five-year-old boy and Elyse watched sadness fill his eyes.

"He has every right to be angry, Elyse. What am I supposed to do? Lie to him and leave the next day? He's young and he— "

"He loves you. Your kids love you. That's why he's angry at you, Erwin. He doesn't want you to leave. You're right, he's young and doesn't understand what's going on, but…you and I both know that it's not right to leave things unsaid with an uncertain, risky future ahead, Erwin." Elyse stated, pointedly, not caring if the closed space between them was getting tighter since they were trying to keep the conversation low.

Erwin's gaze sharpened as he looked down at her. Elyse swallowed, slowly, remembering the words that she just said.

It seemed that Erwin heard her words a bit differently from the way he was looking at her.

The moment passed as soon as he looked back to his son. Elyse placed a hand on his arm once more, trying to push him to take that one step.

Erwin looked down at her hand and he didn't say anything as he let her hand fall and he walked towards Eren.

Elyse watched as Erwin approached their son and how he knelt down to talk to their cross-armed son.

She watched as Erwin, this tall, broad-backed man, gingerly take Eren's small hands into his own and her heart began to swell at the sight of Eren slowly leaning in to hear his father's words.

For a slow, agonizing moment, Elyse thought Eren was going to pull back and shield himself away from Erwin, but that fear disappeared once Eren threw his arms around his father's large neck.

The sound of Eren's sobbing almost matched the sound of the cries Elyse smothered with her hand as she looked away.

* * *

Eren didn't let of Erwin that whole day.

Erwin carried him as he directed dancers and Elyse couldn't find it in her heart to tell Eren to let Erwin do his job.

Armin was the most relieved that his brother and father made up as he chatted happily with Elyse.

Everything seemed well for now.

The kids chatted happily as they entered the house. Erwin and Elyse followed from behind, and they watched as the kids run around in the house as they got ready for dinner.

Elyse smiled at that, yet she noticed that Mikasa paused at the sight of something before being dragged somewhere by Armin.

Elyse walked inside and looked to where Mikasa had and she noticed it was the dirty bags by the door.

She turned to Erwin, who just entered the house.

"You couldn't move the bags somewhere else?" Elyse asked, exasperated.

Erwin looked to the side for a moment, and he shrugged, noncommittally.

"It's not like it's a secret." He stated, walking away from her. Elyse bristled at that, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

But, the sight of Eren running into Erwin's open arms was enough for her silence.

* * *

Elyse was woken up by the sound of heavy footsteps going down the stairs.

Bleary-eyed and half-awake, she grabs her phone and looks at the time.

 _5:07? What the…_

With a big yawn, she threw the covers away and sat up, stretching.

She could hear the sound of mummed voices downstairs and her curiosity piqued even more.

She walked out of her bedroom and began to walk down the stairs when she realized that the hushed voices belonged to Dieter, Nifa, and…an Army-dressed Erwin.

They didn't seem to notice that she was coming down the stairs.

"What's going on?" Elyse asked, getting their attention.

Dieter and Nifa visibly froze and looked up, hesitancy in their gazes. Erwin wasn't looking at her.

 _That_ was enough for Elyse to keep prodding.

"Erwin, what's going on?" Elyse asked, finally reaching the bottom of the stairs as she crossed her arms.

"Dieter, Nifa, if you'll excuse us." Erwin stated, not even turning to face Elyse. Dieter and Nifa nodded and they avoided looking at Elyse as they left the room.

When he was sure they were alone, Erwin sighed as he turned to look at Elyse.

"I have to go now." Erwin stated, matter-of-factly.

"I know that, Erwin. Yet, you're supposed to leave in the afternoon, not at five in the morning." Elyse replied, already annoyed at the fact that she has to keep spelling things out for him.

"Circumstances have changed." Erwin replied, easily. Elyse narrowed her eyes. She had been regularly receiving letter from her brother, and she had time to reply to them as soon as she got better, but she was tired of being kept in the dark by both of them.

She knew that they had captured the group in charge of her assassination attempt, but they were being secretive about it which she understood in the beginning. What she didn't understand was the fact that they weren't telling her anything about it. She was involved just as much as they are. Hell, she was the _victim_.

"What circumstances?" Elyse asked, watching as Erwin picked up one of his bags.

Erwin didn't reply and Elyse's patience was getting tested as she watched him gather his bags.

"Erwin." Elyse demanded, gritting her teeth.

"I'll be back soon. I'll keep you updated." Erwin stated, nonchalantly.

Before he could leave, Elyse grabbed his arm, tightly. She dug her nails into his forearm, and it bothered her when he didn't flinch. Instead, he grabbed her hand in return, ready to pry her hand off of him.

"Don't give me your self-righteous bullshit right now, Erwin. It's five in the morning, and I'm not about to let you leave this family once more as if you're some fucking hero. You didn't even say goodbye to the kids. What kind of— "

"I said goodbye to them last night, Elyse. I'm sure that they'll be fine." Erwin cut her off, brushing her hand off as if she wasn't holding on to him for dear life.

"ANSWER MY DAMN QUESTION, ERWIN." Elyse shouted, grabbing onto his arm once more.

"I told you, Elyse. I can't say anything else about it." Erwin replied, his intimidating gaze turned to her.

Elyse wasn't backing down. She was tired of tiptoeing. She was tired of being told what to do. She was tired of being treated like she was some precious porcelain doll that needed to be treated with damn kiddy gloves.

She's going to get what she wanted before Erwin can decide what she needs.

"You listen here, you fucking piece of self-righteous asshole. I am _done_ hearing the phrase, 'I can't,' because you know you can. You're not the one who had a bullet tearing into your uterus and losing a baby in the process. You're not the one who is suffering every damn day with nightmares of losing your children because you managed to lose one. You're not the one who has to deal with crying children when it comes to asking when will one of their parents come home. You're not the one who has to deal with trying to be some pretty little princess to the press when, in reality, you're some messed up person who is just trying to live day-by-day. I deserve to get what I want this time." Elyse hissed, angrily, using her other hand to grab Erwin's face and force him to face her.

She knew she probably looked crazy, her hazel eyes blown and her bed hair in disarray. She wasn't backing down as she searched Erwin's indifferent gaze. She knew she surprised him just a bit at the sight of his gaze widening just the slightest bit.

She snapped out of it once she saw Erwin's gaze soften at the sight of her and, dare she say, pride that replaced the softness.

"...Levi is getting impatient. He wants me to end the group now." Erwin finally stated, softly.

Elyse's grip relaxed and her arms dropped to her side as she looked at Erwin's chest, blankly.

"End the group?" Elyse asked, trying to make sense of it.

"Yes, he wants to kill them. And, I'm impatient also. I might as well leave early to get it done." Erwin stated, rubbing his shoulder due to the weight of the bags.

Elyse finally scoffed at that, "Don't try to use excuses to get out of this hellhole so quickly, Erwin. I know that you don't want to be here."

Erwin grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him, sharply, making Elyse's eyes grow wide.

"I don't want to be here, Elyse. You're right. Yet, you're thinking of the wrong reasons. I sat here for weeks, watching as the doctor tended to you and watching the kids cower in fear from time to time wondering what was going to happen to you. I sat here, and all I could think about was revenge." Erwin said, slowly, making sure that Elyse heard every word.

"Revenge?" Elyse managed to ask, quietly.

"Revenge. Revenge because my unborn child was taken away from me before I even knew the child existed. Revenge because I can't stand the thought of my kids being unsafe." Erwin continued, his thumb stroking her chin.

"I'm also angry at myself. I'm angry that I had made this possible with what my pride has wrought in this whole ordeal. I don't even know what I've lost because where did it even begin with what I've gained. I wrapped my whole head around what I thought was best, and yet, here we are, Elyse." Erwin whispered, sadly, and Elyse could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Damaged. Broken. That's what this whole thing is, Elyse. You're rightfully angry and I'm rightfully ignorant. You get the worst things in the world with that combination. That's why I'm going to do what I can now. I'm going to _kill_ them." Erwin finished, letting his thumb brush over her chin and cheek so softly before he let go of her and she let go of him.

They both stood there, inches away from each other, staring.

"You're insufferable." Elyse whispered, knowing that her voice was going to break.

She had tried to kept the dam steady, but it was threatening to fall apart especially when you have the person you hate proclaim that he hated himself.

She was still that girl who met him on that train, yet she was someone different all together. She's been through hell and back, and so had he, even having a couple more years atop of her own fresh ones.

Erwin nodded at her statement, not even denying as he stood straight and tall in front of her.

Like a true soldier, hardened and unbeaten.

"You used the word 'asshole'." Erwin stated, and he smiled at her, a half-sloppy one and Elyse looked down.

"I hate you, Erwin. You know that? I fucking hate you." Elyse finally stated, not holding back anymore as she looked at her shaking hands.

Erwin shifted the bags on his shoulder, the sound of material swishing broke the silence after a moment.

Elyse looked up at him, her eyes narrowed and her mouth shaped into a slight snarl.

"If you don't come back soon, I'm leaving. I'm taking the kids and we're leaving." Elyse stated, seriously.

This was it.

She knew. He knew.

It was the whole thing that was keeping this messed up situation up. If she left with the kids, he would have nothing and she would deprive her kids of their father.

It was something that she was willing to sacrifice since his self-righteous ass thought whatever he did was right for the family.

So, she'll retaliate.

She'll do what's best for her family in her own way.

Erwin be damned.

Elyse looked up at him, and she could see the smirk on his face as he gently tucked a stray hair in her ear.

"I wouldn't expect anything less, Elyse."

He placed a fleeting kiss on her forehead before he turned his back on her and walked out of the house.

Elyse found herself watching Erwin's backside once more.

* * *

The kids didn't question their father's disappearance and Elyse didn't know whether she should be alarmed by that or not. Yet, the smile on Eren's face as he took control over his sibling's activities for the day assured Elyse that she didn't have anything to worry about.

She could hear their playful laughter outside as she sat in the study that Erwin and her used to share.

She played with the edges of the crisp papers on the mahogany table and leaned back in the comfortable leather chair, rocking side to side as she tried to figure out what to do.

It's been a week since Erwin left to do his duties, and Elyse can't help but recall the depressing conversation they had shared.

At first, she couldn't believe that they even had a conversation like that. Then, she couldn't believe that she even spoke to him like that. Sometimes, she laid awake thinking about it, and sometimes, she fell asleep to it as if it was her personal lullaby.

For some odd, twisted reason, it comforted Elyse.

They had been tiptoeing around each other since the moment they were caught up in a whirlwind of events that led them to the life they had been leading. Whenever it got uncomfortable, Elyse would let Erwin take the lead, and he got used to that. Whenever it got intense, they wouldn't even bother acknowledging it.

God, they used the same excuse, 'for the kids', so many times that Elyse didn't realize how nauseating it really was.

Yet, she actually yelled at him, and Erwin showed his true colors.

The ultimatum was something that she knew they didn't both expect, but they both knew it was coming.

Maybe that's why she was sitting at the desk, wordlessly examining the papers on the desk that had that menacing line that required her signature.

She had said that she would leave him if he didn't come back, yet she didn't even give him a deadline.

But, they both knew.

The deadline was when she would finally realize that staying in that Estate and with him for their kids wasn't good enough.

That one day, she'll wake up and realize that the kids don't need an absentee father who decides that everything else was more important than them.

That one day, she'll wake up and realize that being in a fake marriage wasn't worth it anymore because being shot at was the tip of the iceberg.

Sighing, Elyse got up from the leather chair and began to walk out. When she reached the light switch, she turned to face the desk once more, the papers aligned perfectly, one more time before turning back around and closing the door.

* * *

Levi watched as Erwin walked inside the building.

The man was ready.

Levi noticed that Erwin was dressed head to toe with dirty clothing, and he suppressed a shudder at the thought of what Erwin had in store for the group at the end of the hallway.

"I just need a knife." Erwin stated, from beside him.

Levi looked up at the man, eyeing him warily. Hanji and Petra even looked uncomfortable with what the Commander had stated.

"Don't take it too far, Erwin. We know they already did it." Levi warned his fellow comrade.

Erwin didn't even bother to look at him as Petra hesitantly handed a knife to him.

"That's exactly why I intend to make this slow and painful." Erwin said, walking in the room before them.

Hanji and Petra shot Levi a look, and Levi didn't even bother to look back.

Something had happened back in France, and Levi wasn't sure if he was ready to find out.

* * *

Elyse woke up in cold sweat as she cried out for her baby.

The lights to her room were blaring as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings. Nifa, Dieter, and the doctor came rushing in as they tried to calm her down. Elyse didn't bother to stop them. She needed to breathe….why couldn't she?

Blood….

There was so much blood around her…

It was coming from her! Shit, it was coming from her stomach…No, her uterus…

"She's hallucinating. Pin her down. We need to tranquilize her before she harms herself." The doctor stated.

Elyse could feel hands pushing her down, and before she could tell them that she could see blood, she closed her eyes and slipped back into darkness.

Elyse nodded, blankly.

"I don't think you heard, Miss Elyse…You need to go see a therapist. You're experiencing hallucinating nightmares about losing your baby, and it's normal to have those things after such a traumatizing ordeal." The doctor said again.

Elyse nodded, blankly.

The doctor sighed as he got up. He shot a look at Nifa and Dieter, and they both nodded, following him out the door.

"Tell me. Before Mr. Smith left, did she experience these things before? I know that she had some attacks, but it seemed to dull down when Mr. Smith was here." The doctor inquired, looking at the two of them.

"No, she didn't. All we know is that Elyse was more focused on having her kids spend time with their father before he had to leave again." Nifa replied.

The doctor nodded, "I see…I recommend that you inform Mr. Smith about his wife. Make sure you call me once another attack happens."

"Another attack?" Dieter asked, looking at Elyse's closed door.

The doctor nodded, "It's going to happen again. She's clearly in some sort of distress, and we need to pinpoint it before it gets worse."

* * *

The blood was already dried up on Erwin's clothes as soon as Levi noticed that Erwin left the room.

Erwin was drenched in blood. It seemed that his clothes were made out of blood.

Hanji simply stared at Erwin, blankly, and Petra had to turn around to vomit at the sight and stench.

"Clean up the room." Erwin ordered to some cadets. The cadets nodded, obediently, and Levi noticed that a tinge of green were shown on their faces as they looked inside the room.

"Erwin." Levi tried to stop the man, but Erwin brushed past him, dropping the bloodied knife in his hand.

"I saved one for you." Erwin replied, and with that, he took his leave.

Levi closed his eyes, knowing fully well that he was going to show mercy to this one.

Because when he entered the room, there were no body parts to spare for even a proper funeral.

* * *

The next night, Levi noticed that there was a letter for Erwin from Nifa. He walked towards Erwin's tent, and he noticed that the usual prostitute-therapist he had wasn't there.

Instead, he was greeted by Erwin, washed and shaved, sitting at his desk, blankly staring at the tent walls.

"You got mail." Levi stated, walking towards him before placing the envelope on his desk.

Erwin nodded in acknowledgement, but he didn't say anything else.

"Elyse wrote to me about your visit and how Eren was angry at you. She said it was solved, but is there anything else that is bothering you?" Levi asked, with a sigh.

"…Did I fuck up your life, Levi?" Erwin asked, suddenly.

Levi stared at the man before scoffing.

"Not really, I fucked up my own life by myself, thank you very much." Levi said, sarcastically.

Erwin didn't even chuckle. Instead, he turned to look at Levi, his gaze unreadable.

"I fucked up her life. You and I both know that." Erwin stated, not even blinking.

Levi narrowed his eyes at Erwin, "Of course you did. Who said that I never thought you did."

The tense moment passed between them, but Levi broke it by sighing and turning around to walk out.

"I don't know why you decide to realize that you fucked up now, but moping around isn't going to do shit, Erwin."

With that said, Levi left.

* * *

Erwin opened Nifa's letter after a moment of Levi's words sunk in his thoughts.

He wasn't moping around. He was just tired, that's all. Killing the people that killed his unborn child was supposed to give him some sense of relief, and it had.

But, Erwin wasn't ready to go back.

He wanted to stay and hunt for more of the bastards who decided that they had control of his life.

Yet, Elyse's words kept echoing in his head, and Erwin found himself being challenged by them.

He knew that the ultimatum was coming, but he couldn't understand why she had decided to do it now when she had all the time before?

Granted, she had been through the worse ordeal to date, but it was as if she was angry at him for something else. Something that his mind can't make sense of.

She called him a self-righteous asshole, and God, instead of being annoyed and hurt, he was so fucking proud of her.

She finally stood up for herself even when he tried to do it for her.

Even now, his pathetic ass was still trying to take care of things for her.

He sighed and began to read the letter before him.

 _Commander Erwin Smith,_

 _Everything is well and safe with the kids, but there is something alarming that you need to be in update of. It seems that Miss Elyse is having hallucinations of some sort. She believes that she wakes up in a pool of blood that is coming from her uterus, and the doctor said that it's normal due to what she has been through. He believes that it's linked to a distress of some kind that is triggering these nightmarish hallucinations. The doctor has suggested for her to go into therapy, and Dieter will bring her tomorrow. I hope this letter finds you quickly enough._

 _Wishing the best on the battlefield,_

 _Nifa_

Erwin clutched the letter in his hand, tightly, crumpling the paper in anger.

He knew that something was unsettling, but he couldn't pinpoint it until now. He didn't want to go back for the wrong reasons, and he knew that more than ever he needed to get back as soon as possible.

"Cadet!" Erwin shouted, urgently. One of the cadets who was guarding his tent walked in with a salute.

"Get me Commander Dok. Tell him it's urgent. If he doesn't respond immediately, tell him that he can go fuck himself."

* * *

Pristine walls.

Pristine couch.

Everything was so pristine.

Just like her father's office back in New York City.

Elyse looked at the pristine-dressed woman sitting in front of her.

"Elyse, is it?" The woman asked, politely.

"Yes." Elyse replied, easily.

The woman nodded, and she smiled welcomingly at Elyse, who tried to smile back, but she wasn't so sure if she did.

"I understand that you're here because you've been having trauma after a traumatic incident." The woman stated, looking at some papers on her pristine clipboard.

Elyse nodded, curtly.

"Would you like to talk about it?" The woman encouraged, warmly. Elyse didn't even bat an eyelash as she began to speak.

"I lost my baby after being shot. What more is there to say?" Elyse said, indifferently.

The woman nodded, not losing the warm smile on her face. The one that didn't match the modern pantsuit she wore.

"How about the fact that it hurt you? That it may have terrified you? I understand you have three kids, Elyse. You must be anxious about them now, am I right?" The woman asked, politely.

"Of course, I am. But, I've always been. A mother is always scared for her kids, no matter what." Elyse stated, as if that wasn't a surprise.

She watched as the woman tapped her pen on the clipboard, three times.

"It must've been affected even more though." The woman prodded, gently.

Elyse nodded, "If you're talking about how I'm scared even more every day for my own safety as well as my own family's, then you're right. I am. But, I've always been scared. My whole entire life, I've been scared."

The woman seemed to lighten up at the promising information shared by Elyse as she marked something down on her board.

"When did it start, Elyse? Being scared?" The woman asked, gently.

Elyse smiled, listlessly.

"It started in an office. Just as pristine as this."

* * *

A:N/ YAY! Update! Hope you guys will enjoy. Also, I encourage you all to love one another amidst all this craziness. I love you guys so much, and I can't thank you enough for the support and care for this story.


	29. Chapter 29

A:N/ Yay for Thanksgiving break! Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and if you don't have Thanksgiving, treat yourself nonetheless. You all deserve it. Much love and happiness from me…from the story, not so much.

Elyse belongs to me. Everyone else doesn't and needs a good dinner and a sit-down.

* * *

Erwin didn't know how much time has passed as he tapped on his armrest impatiently. The air traffic wasn't helping his sour mood. He wanted his damn plane to land. He had spent so much time traveling that he just wanted to stand still for just a moment.

Given the hell he just went through from that asshole Dok, Erwin was ready to pilot the damn plane himself.

Nile had given him leave as soon as he was satisfied with annoying the hell out of Erwin, and Erwin was more than ready to get all the paperwork over with.

Erwin had already stepped down from being a Commander, but Nile was still holding onto important documents that he had seized before Erwin could take it back after he had resigned.

The moment Nile gave him those papers, Erwin felt a hit of nostalgia overcome him, but the smug look on Nile's face made Erwin ignore his hesitancy.

Signing those papers never seemed so welcoming at that point. Yet, Nile had stopped Erwin before he could place the pen on the piece of paper.

"This isn't going to be the end, you know that, right?" Nile asked, his gaze hardened. Erwin didn't even blink.

He knew Dok wasn't talking about the papers.

"This is none of your business." Erwin said through gritted teeth, his hand tightening around the pen he held.

Nile sighed and shook his head, "You really don't like confronting real-life issues head-on, don't you?"

"Says the man who left his wife and two kids for my ex-wife." Erwin retaliated, not trying to play with Dok's game anymore.

Nile narrowed his eyes, and Erwin felt a sliver of satisfaction flow throughout his body at the curl of distaste formed at the corner of Nile's mouth.

Nile had then bent down low and whispered in Erwin's ear in warning.

"Then take it from someone who knows how it feels to be on the brink of losing everything or possibly gaining the whole world…Don't fuck up, Smith."

Erwin grabbed onto his armrest, tightly, at the memory of Nile's words.

The man didn't know what he was saying. Lose everything? Gain everything? Nile Dok had left his family for a woman who was just as worse as him. Erwin didn't think that was gaining anything at all. All Erwin could think about was the poor woman and children Nile had left behind, and Erwin...Fuck, Dok was in his damn head.

It pissed him off to no end.

Erwin was already mad, has been mad. Killing the sons of bitches that killed his unborn child wasn't enough, and he could feel the anger surging throughout his body every single time someone tried to defy him. The High Commander was upset, and Erwin had convinced him that he would come back. His squadron expected him to come back, and Erwin promised them that he would come back.

Yet, Dok was the one Erwin believed that he would have a difficult time with.

And yet, Dok told him to go home.

It angered Erwin to no end. Dok had manipulated him to no end. And here he was trying to tell him that he was needed to go home?

"Mr. Smith, we've landed." A voice interrupted his thoughts.

Erwin nodded his thanks, immediately regaining his composure as he got out. He thanked the crew, and as he walked down the stairs that led to solid ground, Erwin realized that he still felt like he was sinking.

* * *

Elyse smiled her thanks as Eren handed her a daisy.

"Thank you, sweetie." Elyse whispered before pressing a kiss on his forehead. She watched as he ran off to join his siblings again as they played in the backyard.

She watched them play, but she could sense the slight sadness in Armin's expression and Elyse made herself a mental reminder to talk to him about it.

She knew it was going to take time, but this was better for them.

The weather was beautiful and Elyse took a deep breath as a warm breeze wafted through. The smell of brownies caught her attention and she made sure Hanji was with the kids before she walked back inside.

She smiled as she saw Petra and Freida shrieking over something on a phone, but she was ready to leave once she saw the mischief in their eyes as they gazed in her direction when they heard the door shut from behind her.

"What?" Elyse asked, a little terrified at the sight of their secretive smiles.

"We were nominated, Elyse. The production was nominated for Best Original Theatrical Production." Freida announced, giddily, running up to her to throw her arms around her.

"No way!" Elyse managed to gasp out from Freida's death grip. She dove for the phone as Petra laughed and gave it to her.

Elyse's eyes widened as she saw her name and the production she wrote on the list of nominations of International Theatre Awards. It was surreal.

Her eyes began to water and she squealed, grabbing both Petra and Freida as they jumped up and down.

Elyse's smile couldn't get any wider.

Finally.

Something she could be happy about.

But, sadness immediately began to garner at the thought of someone who made this possible. She thought about the blond man that was to thank for all this hard work. His dedication and his gift to her…

With a hard mental push, Elyse forced herself to forget.

* * *

Levi counted the amount of food he had in his car before nodding in satisfaction. Elyse had been going on about how there wasn't enough food for everyone, and Levi wasn't about to have another lecture from her make him get out of his busy schedule anymore.

Petra was starting to point it out, and that's what made Levi begrudgingly get out of his own rut and do something with his life.

He knew that it's been a while since he had done something else than work for his late father's company. Hell, he'd been the President of the company for so long now that he forgot anything else that revolved in his personal life.

The fact that Elyse was tired of it made Levi realize how neglectful he had been.

"Well, she shouldn't complain now." Levi sighed, sitting back down in the driver's seat.

He didn't realize that he had a missing call from Pixis.

* * *

Erwin looked at the watering hole in front of him with a slight sigh. It had been a long time since he was last here.

Erwin immediately went into the bar he had once held dear once upon a time. Ironically, it brought up memories that he found himself nostalgic about.

Even if it included Dok and Marie.

Maybe it was because of his age. Had it been almost more than ten years since he was here?

As he entered the bar, he was greeted by a very familiar face.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." Retired Commander Pixis greeted Erwin as soon as Erwin sat down at the bar.

"Commander." Erwin greeted with a smile. Pixis snorted, placing a glass of whiskey in front of Erwin.

"I retired because I didn't want to be called that anymore, _Commander_." Pixis stated, mischief in his eyes, "And yet, I hear that I should stop calling you that also."

Erwin's eyes immediately darkened, and Pixis laughed as he patted Erwin's back roughly.

"Oh, come on, I can see look in your eyes. It's one of resignation." Pixis stated. Once he calmed down, he smiled, softly.

"Besides, I heard it from the pipsqueak. He came to visit before you awhile back. He told me you guys finished your mission and I heard it was a success. Congratulations. About time you relax, son. Your father will be happy." Pixis pointed out, taking a sip out of his flask before letting out a sigh.

"Levi was here?" Erwin asked, softly, not even surprised at the least.

"He was. Said he was tying some loose ends ever since his father died. Poor kid, I don't think he's quite over it yet…He told me about…well, with what's going on…Sorry, son, didn't mean to bring it up or pry about it." Pixis apologized, quiety, making sure no one heard him.

Erwin scoffed, softly, "Don't worry about it, Pixis. Everyone's been asking about it ever since I got out of the desert."

PIxis shot him a sympathetic glance, and Erwin did his best to ignore it as he took another gulp of his whiskey.

"Everything is fine the last time I checked." Erwin reassured Pixis, trying hard not to meet the old man's eyes.

He knew that Pixis was about to say something, and Erwin could already feel the anger bubbling up inside of him at the look on Pixis' face.

He had to calm himself down. None of this was Pixis' fault, so he needed to calm down.

As if he knew, Pixis didn't say anything as he handed Erwin another glass.

"Do you know if Levi is still around?" Erwin asked, quietly, after a moment. Pixis nodded, but the hesitant look in Pixis' eyes told Erwin all he needed to know.

Erwin ignored the bitterness that rose within him, and he focused on the glass in his hand instead.

"I see." Erwin stated, nonchalantly.

Pixis didn't question or talk to him anymore after, letting Erwin drink in peace.

* * *

Elyse thanked her brother as he brought in the groceries, but he seemed to be out of it and in a rush once more as soon as he brought everything inside. He excused himself, and Elyse felt bad as soon as she saw Petra's face flicker with disappointment.

Elyse couldn't blame her brother. She knew that thanking care of the company that her father had left him must not be easy.

Especially with the current circumstances.

Elyse felt a shiver go through her body, and she forced herself to think about the groceries before her. She was a bit saddened that she couldn't even tell her brother the good news about the nomination.

The next person she had wanted to tell came into mind, and Elyse felt her heart clutch at it.

She needed to ignore the sharp pain within her heart especially when she heard the kids call out her name.

Erwin watched the Estate come into view. It had been a long road, but he was finally home. He got out of the car and thanked his driver. He sighed as he walked inside the house, ready to relax in front of the fire.

The Estate was dark and cold, much like himself, and he wanted that corner he had been hovering around for so long. It was so close, calling for him.

Instead, he was greeted by a livid Nifa and a stoic Dieter.

He passed them, not even bothering to acknowledge what was the cause of their erratic behavior.

Even though he knew why.

He ignored them as he eyed the prepared glass of whiskey and the warm, lit fireplace. As he sat down, he noticed that the phone he had been blatantly ignoring was flashing at him.

He pressed "ignore."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. "Nifa's voice warned from behind him.

Erwin sighed, rubbing his temples, "Nifa, I'm in no mood right now."

A stubborn sigh from behind him showed him that Nifa wasn't playing around.

"It's Levi." Dieter finally stated, inserting himself into the conversation. Erwin gritted his teeth, cursing at his stupidity. Of course, Pixis told him. Erwin tried to calm himself down as he felt a surge of anger course through his body.

Fuck, he got caught.

"Fine." Erwin sighed, picking up his flashing phone. The unknown phone number was enough to make Erwin want to chuck his phone against the wall.

What did Levi think he was going to do? Track him down?

"Hello." Erwin greeted, tiredly.

"What the fuck, Erwin. Want to explain why you were in Germany without telling me?" Levi greeted in return.

"Nice to hear from you, too, Levi." Erwin sighed, trying to massage the headache that was beginning to form.

"Erwin. You need to let me know about these things." Levi stated, angrily.

It was enough to goad Erwin into being bitter and sarcastic. Something he's been more of lately, a monster he couldn't recognize anymore.

"Oh, really, Levi? For what reason? So, you can warn everyone about the big bad wolf? I wasn't there to blow your fucking house down, Levi. I was there to get a damn drink and wallow in self-pity, which, by the way, you made it really easy to leave that bar due to you talking to Pixis about my situation." Erwin replied, sarcastically.

"You're telling me that you went to the bar in _Germany_ to just get a drink? I find that hard to believe, Erwin." Levi hissed in return.

Erwin forced himself to take a sharp intake of breath before he shattered his own phone.

It would be the tenth time this month.

"What do you want me to say, Levi? Hm? Do you want me to tell you that staying in this damn place is suffocating me? Do you want me to tell you that I can't even stand being in this damn country because every single fucking day I'm forced to…" Erwin trailed off, and he grabbed his chest as a sharp pain shot throughout his body.

All he remembered was falling and the shouting as if he was back on the battlefield he longed to avoid.

Darkness shrouded around him, and Erwin embraced it.

* * *

Elyse thanked Petra, Freida, and Hanji as they prepared to leave and fly back to France.

"Thank you guys so much for visiting." Elyse said, hugging them goodbye.

"Of course, we missed you. Besides, it's good we decided to visit today because of the unexpected news!" Freida stated, excitedly.

Elyse smiled at that, but she noticed a look of apprehension on Petra's face before it quickly disappeared.

"So…when are you going to come back to France for the Awards Show?" Petra asked, softly and carefully.

Elyse slightly winced at the insinuation of Petra's question, but she managed to hide it as she smiled, "Hopefully by next week, if anything, you guys could accept it on…my behalf."

Freida shifted uncomfortably, and Petra and Hanji exchanged looks. Elyse sighed, crossing her arms.

"Guys, it's fine. It's been almost…three months. It's going to eventually turn into something big with the press, so we all might as well get used to what's going on." Elyse managed to say calmly.

She knew her voice was saying one thing and her face was saying another due to the disbelief on their faces.

She was about to say something else until she saw her brother on the phone, yelling while his jacket was half-on.

The moment he saw them, his eyes widened and he hung up immediately.

"We need to go." Levi finally stated, as if finding the calm in his words. Elyse was at a lost.

"What happened? Is everything okay?" Elyse asked, frantic. Was it the company? Elyse knew that the company had been struggling to get on its legs and Elyse knew how stressed it was making her brother. She could feel the panic rise within her at the thought of the company that their father worked so hard on going under.

"No time to explain. We need to go, Elyse." Levi managed to say, and Elyse could tell he was just repeating it over and over, as if it was the only thing that was keeping him up at this point.

"Can you please-"

"it's Erwin, Elyse."

That name made her freeze. As if on cue, Elyse felt all eyes on her, and she could feel the ground beneath her disappear.

Erwin.

It wasn't supposed to affect her. She had promised herself that she would be done with this. She was the one who made the first move. She was the one who decided. She was the one who was here with the kids.

Erwin.

God, Erwin.

"W-What happened to…E-Erwin?" Elyse managed to ask, softly. She realized she was holding to Petra and Freida, tightly, and she could see their wincing pain at how tightly she was holding on to them, but she couldn't find herself to care.

Erwin.

Something was wrong with Erwin.

"How about we get in the car, Elyse? There's no time to explain. Nifa is already on her way to take care of the kids. They'll join us later. But, right now, we need to go." Levi explained, guiding her into the car, prying her hands away from Petra and Freida.

Nifa. It's been so long since she heard her name.

Elyse didn't say anything and she let herself be man-handled as she got into the car and stared listlessly outside the window.

Erwin.

How long has it been since she even said his name? Thought about his name?

Once the door shut, Elyse came back to her senses and judging by the look on her brother's face, she knew that he was ready to answer her bombarding questions.

"What happened?" Elyse asked, shakily, and she cursed at how dumb she sounded. She had promised to try and stay calm, yet here she was, a mess.

"…it's his PTSD." Levi stated, quietly.

Elyse closed her eyes, and she turned her head away.

She didn't want to hear any more.

* * *

The Estate came into view, and Elyse's heart clenched at the sight. The once beautiful Estate she had loved with all her heart was unkempt and horrendous. The Estate wasn't taken care of, and she could tell how long it has been since someone payed attention to it.

Three months.

It's been three months since she had last been here.

She had been obsessing over that number lately for some odd reason. She had been counting the months silently, but she wouldn't admit that she was counting the months to anyone. She didn't want to. Even to herself.

The driver opened the door for her and she thanked the man. She felt lead replaced her feet as she stood her ground, simply looking at the Estate, not knowing what to make of it.

"Elyse, let's go." Levi prodded, softly. Elyse bit her lip, but she nodded after a moment. She followed her brother, slowly, not sure where she was going at this point.

The whole Estate was foreign to her, and she could feel her nostalgia moan in pain at the strangeness that hit her instead of the warm, loving memories she once had here.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around her and Elyse blinked, not knowing who was hugging her. She hadn't been paying attention.

"Oh, Miss Elyse, it's so good to see you." The muffled voice said within her shoulder, and Elyse felt something break within her.

Tears began to fall down her eyes and onto her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around the sobbing man.

"Dieter, it's going to be okay." Elyse whispered, holding on to the broad man, tightly.

Even she couldn't believe her own words.

When he finally let go, Elyse smiled softly at the sudden bashful man in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Dieter whispered, ashamed. Elyse shook her head, furiously.

"Enough, Dieter. It's been…overwhelming today. I get it." Elyse replied, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Dieter looked to her side, uncomfortably, and Elyse followed his gaze and she noticed that her brother was impatiently waiting for her so they could go upstairs and to…

Elyse swallowed.

She looked at Dieter in front of her and the sadness and frustration in his eyes was burning so bright that Elyse looked down for a moment.

"Dieter, I—"

"He came back." Dieter whispered, softly, that Elyse had to strain to hear.

Elyse blinked, "What?"

"Three months ago, he came back. As soon as heard about your hallucinations. He came back." Dieter stated, stronger this time.

Elyse couldn't say anything else as she found herself being dragged upstairs by her brother.

In shock, Elyse couldn't turn away from Dieter.

Amongst all the frustration and sadness in his eyes, Elyse could see the hope in there as well.

"I know he did…but he didn't stay." Elyse whispered back, not even caring if no one heard her in return.

* * *

Levi came back outside as Elyse sat in front of the closed door that led to Erwin's bedroom. He closed the door swiftly before Elyse could peek inside and he looked down at her, his gaze unreadable.

"He's awake." Levi managed to say, and Elyse swallowed again.

"That's good." Elyse replied, hugging her legs close.

Levi walked up to her and sat beside her, sighing and Elyse could immediately see the exhaustion in her brother's mannerisms.

"You need to go rest." Elyse stated, pointing to what was once her bedroom. It made her slightly shiver, but she managed to look away so she could pay attention to her brother.

Her brother didn't say anything, so Elyse just stared at the door in front of her, trying hard not to remember the patterns that was in the bottom of her memory bank.

"…When did you leave this place?" Levi finally asked her, breaking through her thoughts.

Elyse closed her eyes, the dark memory she had been trying to fight now coming up.

 _Elyse managed to pack the rest of her kids' stuff with Nifa's help._

 _She hugged Nifa then, tightly, whispering her apologies. But, Nifa squeezed her back, reassuringly._

 _She understood._

 _She understood why Elyse had chosen this path._

 _The kids were asleep, but Dieter and Nifa helped her put them in the car._

 _When Elyse made sure that everything was in order, she turned to them once more._

" _I'm so sorry. This…It has to be done." Elyse said, softly._

 _Dieter and Nifa nodded, and Elyse looked at the Estate once more before entering the car without looking back._

"It's been three months." Elyse whispered back.

"Ah." Levi hummed.

"Why?" Elyse asked, softly.

"Erwin promised me not to tell you." Levi stated, and Elyse didn't even feel any surprise anymore.

Instead, she laughed. Bitterness and anger overflowing within her.

"Of course he did. What are you going to say, hm? That he was here three months ago? That he came back home and he realized that he's a fucker that couldn't keep a promise?" Elyse asked, realizing that tears were coming back.

They've been telling her this as if it was their personal mantra. That Erwin did come back when she decided that enough was enough.

That she decided it was time to leave him and take the kids with her.

She had remembered telling her therapist about it. The woman had turned out to be a big help to her, and Elyse had appreciated all the help she gave her. This time, the therapist had told her not to be rash.

She had told her to think it over, to thoroughly think it over.

Elyse was in disbelief at the doubt written on her therapist's face.

"You're supposed to be on my side." Elyse had whispered then.

Her therapist looked at her then, carefully.

"I am."

Elyse had gone back home then. It was the last night she ever stayed in that Estate.

"…I told him that you were here. He told me that you need to go back home." Levi finally said, changing the subject.

The hurt was unbearable, but Elyse scoffed angrily.

"I agree. I shouldn't be here. It was a mistake to come back." Elyse found herself saying.

Her brother seemed to see through her even without looking at her. The sigh that came out from his straight mouth was enough to make Elyse wince a bit.

"When you told me that you were going to Germany and moving in our old childhood home with the kids, I didn't question it. I agreed to it. Hell, I was happy that you were finally doing something for yourself rather than going along with the shit show that has been our lives. Therapy was doing wonders for you, and I'm sure that everyone thought that too. One day, I caught Erwin about to travel to Germany. I visited him at the Estate and he was there, sitting in front of the fireplace and his bags were next to him. Instead of standing up and telling me to go fuck myself, Erwin was contemplating with a glass of scotch in hand. You know what he said, Elyse?"

Elyse shook her head, slowly, "Don't do this, Levi. I don't want to hear it."

"Why is that, Elyse?" Levi asked, his gaze now straight at her, and Elyse could feel the sadness wash over her mixed with the anger of being reminded of all the things that she had been trying to avoid for months now.

"All I'm going to hear is how Erwin was going to come back, yet he changed his mind and that he wanted to fix everything, so he left me alone with our kids. He thought I'd be happy. He thought my life would be okay. He thought how everything is all about his fucking self-righteous pity." Elyse answered back, angrily.

"And why does that make you angry, Elyse? He left you alone. From what I remember, you told me that you gave Erwin an ultimatum and you delivered, so why does that make you angry?" Levi pondered, loudly.

Elyse closed her eyes. She didn't say anything. She knew what game her brother was playing, and she wasn't about to fall into that trap.

After a moment of silence, Levi sighed and opened Erwin's door, slightly.

"Go to him, Elyse. You and him need to talk. It's long overdue." Levi stated.

Elyse found herself swallowing as she stared at the sliver of light that came through the door.

Squaring her shoulders, Elyse nodded, slowly, and she ignored the knowing look on her brother's face as she walked inside.

She shut the door behind her, and she looked at the man who haunted her life the moment he entered it.

* * *

Erwin looked up weakly at the person who walked inside his room.

His eyes widened just a bit, and he clutched onto the sheets on his bed as he recognized the woman in front of him.

"Elyse." He breathed out, the name he hadn't dared to say in such a long time.

She didn't answer him, instead he could see the unreadable glint in her hazel eyes.

God, it hurt to look at her. She was still as beautiful from his weary memory of her. Her hair had grown longer and he could see that the length had reached the middle of her waist, the long, dark wavy locks were just as silky and shiny as ever. Twenty-two looked good on her, and he could see that she was dressed as every bit as a beautiful, successful mother and ballerina would. The hazel eyes he barely remembered was searing into each memory he strived to forget.

"I thought I told Levi to tell you to go back home. There's no need to worry—"

"Shut up." The two words that existed those strange, pink lips was something that caught him off-guard.

Erwin didn't say anything, and the confusion on his face must've been a satisfaction for her because he could see the smirk on her face, which looked so foreign on her face.

She was hardened now. Something had snapped inside of her, and Erwin couldn't help but think guiltily about the last…how many months has it been since he had seen her again?

He couldn't think about that now. Elyse was walking towards him, and Erwin gripped onto the bedsheets even tighter.

She didn't say anything. Instead, she sat down on the chair next to his bed. She looked around, and he stared at the sharpness of her jaw as she gritted her teeth.

"Elyse, I—"

"What were you thinking?" Elyse finally asked, cutting him off as she looked at him.

Her hazel eyes were glaring, and Erwin felt shame rise within him.

"What do you mean?" Erwin asked, softly, trying very hard to keep her gaze.

"I gave you an ultimatum. You came back home as promised, yet instead of trying to fix this for the both of us, you don't show up. God, you don't fucking show up and instead, you have Dok showing up at the door of _my_ childhood home, giving me divorce papers that _you_ signed." Elyse hissed, angrily.

Erwin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"What did you want me to do, Elyse?" Erwin asked, with a groan as the sharp pain came back in his chest.

"Oh, I don't know, Erwin. How about you come back and explain to the kids about how you came back and didn't want to see them? You try explaining to them about how their father _abandoned_ them without even so much as a "hello"." Elyse shot back, ignoring the twisted grimace of pain on Erwin's face.

Erwin could tell that she was trying her very best not to feel bad for him, and he couldn't blame her.

"I saw how happy you were without me. The kids and you were happy, and I just remembered how much pain and struggle you were in when it came to me. What do you want me to say, Elyse? That I'm sorry that I'm such an ass?" Erwin asked, trying to calm his pain down.

"Stop using excuses, Erwin-"

"I'm not! Fuck, Elyse! I'm not using excuses anymore. We're done with that, aren't we? It's done now. Everything. The lies, the pretend, and the unexpected. That's why I decided that we needed to stop. To just move on. Everyone even saw it. Why do you think they were onboard with this? Elyse, enough. Please." Erwin sighed, softly.

He didn't even need to look at Elyse to see that she was trembling, the slight tremors of her body from his peripheral vision was enough for him. He couldn't tell from what she was trembling from. Anger? Resentment? Frustration?

All of the above?

"You're an idiot." Elyse finally stated, a mere whisper but he heard it.

Before he could say anything, she stood up. A slight panic rose within him, and his reaction was to grab her arm before she could step out. He didn't know what came over him, and he noticed how she relaxed in his hold before she flinched once more pulled herself away.

She didn't move though. Instead, Erwin found himself staring at her back.

Without another word, Elyse left his room and Erwin felt himself slip back into numbness, willing to ignore the ice that was beginning to form around his heart.

* * *

It's been a week.

Elyse cooked breakfast, and she was still trying to get used to the fact that she was back in the Estate that she had once called home.

After that confrontation with Erwin, Elyse found herself not even bothering to move. Her brother had already been directing the driver to place her bags in the car, but Elyse stopped them. Without another word, Elyse picked up her bags and brought them back into her old room.

When she opened the door, she noticed that everything was just as she left it. Erwin had obviously hired someone to keep it clean, but other than that, Elyse could tell that she had been packing the last time she was here.

"Want to explain why we're not leaving yet?" Levi has asked from her doorway.

"Don't." Elyse warned him, tiredly.

Her brother hadn't said a word to her since.

The sound of kids being happy was music to her ears as they squealed. Dieter's welcoming bellow warmed her heart as she could see their shadows spinning around in the living room.

She had called Nifa and told her to bring the kids here. Nifa didn't even question it, and her brother had looked at her with exasperation.

"This is dangerous, Elyse." Levi stated with a warning.

"The doctor said that his PTSD attacks have been waning. I think it'll help the kids and him to see each other." Elyse replied, ignoring the glare her brother was sending her.

"That's not what I'm talking about, Elyse. You know that." Levi stated.

"It's going to be—"

"Have you thought about what's going to happen afterwards, Elyse? He gave you signed divorce papers. You left him without the kids. So, now what? We're backtracking? The kids don't need to be involved in any more of this drama." Levi continued, with a frustrated tone.

"The kids need and want to see Erwin. That's all that matters right now." Elyse argued back, getting tired of arguing with her brother.

"The kids or you, Elyse?" Levi whispered. Not even waiting for her answer, Levi left his sister alone to her thoughts.

* * *

Erwin held on to them tightly. He could hear their laughter, but he didn't want to let go. Armin's head was the one to pop out from his arms as he looked at his father's face. Mikasa's hand was already on his beard and he chuckled at that.

Eren was the one who was still busy hugging his father, unwilling to let go.

"You guys are getting big and heavy now." Erwin sighed, wistfully.

"I'm six now, Papa!" Eren said, happily. Erwin smiled, sadly, but he ruffled Eren's hair affectionately.

"I know. I'm so sorry I couldn't make it to your birthday." Erwin apologized, even though he inwardly cursed at the memory of himself drinking himself to sleep when it was his son's birthday.

"It's okay. Mama said that you were busy working and that you would come back as soon as you could." Mikasa said, in reply for her brother.

That hurt.

"Of course she did." Erwin whispered, quietly.

"Hm?" Mikasa asked, still playing with her father's beard. He chuckled at her concentration as she braided it.

"Nothing, sweetheart. Just happy you guys are here." Erwin stated, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

Elyse could hear the laughter before she entered Erwin's room with a tray of food. This would only be the second time she entered his room. The first time being that emotional encounter they both had.

The kids were still laughing with their father, and Elyse noticed that there were a couple of new scars that she didn't realize he had on his chest.

She looked away, not wanting to know where they came from.

"I brought food." Elyse announced, happily, trying to get their attention so they could eat. The kids looked up on cue and they bounded towards her, excitedly as they went towards the food.

Elyse chided at them to calm themselves and when she looked up, she could see the wistfulness in Erwin's eyes as he looked at the kids.

 _For the kids or you, Elyse?_

Elyse immediately felt like she was going to throw up. Swallowing, Elsye stood up straight and brought Erwin his tray as the kids were busy eating their own food at the small table Elyse had set up earlier.

Erwin looked up at her then, and she noticed the wistfulness turned into wariness as she placed the tray of food on his lap.

"Thank you." Erwin finally said. Elyse nodded, and she turned to walk away, but his calloused hand grabbed her slender wrist.

She turned to face him, and she saw that the wariness was replaced with gratitude.

"No, really, Elyse. Thank you." Erwin persisted.

Elyse looked down at his hand, and that didn't make anything better. Instead, she found herself craving to stroke the scar that she noticed was across his knuckles.

"They needed to see their father. Even though he decided to leave them." Elyse said, the resentment she found was welcoming and she ripped her hand away from him.

The hurt in Erwin's eyes was enough for her cold satisfaction, and she left the room without another word.

* * *

A week turned into a month, and Elyse found herself being Erwin's personal caretaker. He could leave the bed, and the doctor even praised Elyse for being such a good wife.

Wife.

How ironic it was to hear that word.

They never talked about anything but the kids since the day she ripped her hand out of his warm grip.

Her brother had taken his leave, and with one last word of warning, Elyse hugged her brother goodbye.

"Stop playing games, Elyse." Her brother warned, and Elyse simply nodded, pretending she understood what he said. With a sigh, her brother shook his head and he motioned for Petra to follow him. Petra hugged her goodbye, and she even shot her a worried glance.

Freida had visited more than once, and Elyse could hear the laughter her and Erwin shared.

She felt like an outsider, and she almost let her resentment affect Freida. Freida simply rolled her eyes at Elyse when Elyse mentioned how Freida was visiting often.

"Oh, Elyse. Sweet, innocent Elyse is no longer." Freida had teased.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Elyse retorted, defensively.

Freida had laughed then, giving Elyse a tight hug.

"You know." Freida had said before kissing her cheeks goodbye.

Everyone else had visited. Some were surprised that Elyse was there. Others weren't. That's when Elyse knew that everyone must've heard the news through the grapevine.

That Parisian darling Elyse Rose Jaeger-Ackerman Smith and German Commander Erwin Smith were separated.

Elyse had looked in his office, just to see if the papers were still there.

They had been.

His signature next to an empty line that was supposed to be her own.

"I'm going back to therapy." Erwin announced to no one. Elyse looked up at him from where she was reading on the porch, and she widened her eyes at him.

He looked better than before. He had left his stubble, but he had shaved off the beard he had grown. His hair was now neatly done, and his button-down and slacks outfit had returned. He was just as handsome as ever, and Elyse felt a pang of something before she decided to ignore it.

She looked back down at her book, hearing the kids playing in the distance.

"I see." Elyse replied, easily, trying to ignore the discomfort in her heart as she realized that he was staring at her.

"Want to go with me?" Erwin asked next.

That question took her by surprise. She looked up at him, and his gaze was earnest and fervent. It was enough for her to almost say yes.

Instead, she asked why.

"I owe it to you, Elyse. You were right about how it was wrong of me to just leave out of the blue. I owe it to the kids." Erwin replied, easily.

Elyse felt her heart tighten at his heartfelt plea.

Instead, she shook her head.

It was too much.

It was too…intimate.

She needed to back away before she found herself somewhere she didn't want to be.

"You need to go alone, Erwin. You owe it to yourself first." Elyse replied, warmly. She knew that at least she was right in that aspect.

People have been telling her stories about the battlefield that he had once been in. When they came to visit, Elyse had asked about it, wanting to know every detail. At first, she didn't understand why she craved to hear about it, but she felt like she deserved to.

Erwin had left because of it, didn't he?

Erwin nodded at that. He smiled at her then, and Elyse looked down. He coughed slightly, and he left.

What he didn't see was the bright flush on her cheeks as she continued to read her book.

* * *

The month turned into three as Elyse tucked her children into bed. School was starting tomorrow for them again and she knew that it was time to get them on a sleeping schedule. The private school that had been sad when she had to inform them that her kids might not be coming back was ecstatic as she told them that they were coming back now.

She smiled at the memory, and her heart had stuttered when they called her Mrs. Smith.

Once she turned off the lights and closed the door to their room, Elyse pulled out her phone and dialed a number that she hadn't called in so long.

"Elyse, my dear, is that really you?" A gruff, sweet voice answered.

The voice almost brought tears to her eyes.

"It's me, Vati." Elyse greeted, softly.

"Oh, my dear. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Her father-in-law asked in jest. But, Elyse felt sadness creep into her heart at the reminder and she began to cry softly as she entered her room and onto the balcony to overlook the water.

"Don't cry, Elyse. This is supposed to be a happy occasion." Her father-in-law chided at her and Elyse laughed, softly, through her tears.

"I just missed you, that's all." Elyse replied with a sigh.

"Well, at least you called. Ever since I heard about what's been happening, I couldn't come into contact with my own son…I'm sorry to bring this up, but have you heard from him?" Her father-in-law asked, exasperated.

Elyse blushed at that, remembering that everyone that was close to them had thought they were separated, so she cleared her throat.

"He's doing fine, Vati. We're …I'm back in the Estate. He had a PTSD attack months earlier, but he's fine now. I've…The kids have been a big help." Elyse said, carefully.

It was quiet for a moment until a slight chuckle sounded on the other line.

"Well, that…I'm very happy that you and the kids are back in Paris, Elyse." Her father-in-law said warmly.

Elyse suddenly felt guilt rise within her. She thought of how maybe she was giving hope to her father-in-law and she was about to say something along the lines of how they were still separated while being cordial about it.

Until her father-in-law said something that made her quiet for a second.

"I'm sure that he's happy to have you guys back for now."

"Vati…"

"Elyse, I'm a very old man and I have hoped for what's best for my son the moment my wife gave me him and named him with her very last breath. And, you might not believe this, but I've never seen my son so…happy with his life until now. He's been a drifter. Dabbling in things with his genius, and I've never been more proud. Yet, with you, it's as if he finally met his satisfaction. I know you don't see it, my dear. Erwin is a very difficult person to read, and…it may be my old heart talking, but I'm very happy that you became my daughter-in-law and that you have gifted me with the most wonderful grandchildren. Now, you might think that I'm asking you to stay with him, and I'm not. But, you seem unsure with your actions, Elyse. Why are you still there?"

Elyse couldn't breathe. Her heart began to beat furiously, and she knew that this was going to be it. The question she had been avoiding every day since the day she had been here.

"I don't know, Vati. I don't really know." Elyse finally answered, accepting the fact that she has been unsure the moment she got there.

"You don't have to know right now, Elyse. But, don't wait too long. Life is too short, my dear. I will always be here for you. Remember that." Her father-in-law stated, wishing her well.

"Vati…Can you come here? I was nominated for an award and I would be honored if you came with me." Elyse asked, pleadingly.

His laughter warmed her and Elyse finally felt at ease.

* * *

Erwin looked down at his father, ashamed. His father was more than upset with him.

"Father, I—"

"What were you thinking, son? Not contacting me. I had to hear it from my daughter-in-law?" His father scolded, his hands crossed on his walking cane.

Erwin flinched at the sound of "daughter-in-law", and he looked at Elyse who was busying herself with getting the kids ready for school.

"…I wasn't at the right place, Father. I didn't want to upset you." Erwin stated, trying hard to explain.

His father softened at that, but Erwin could still see the upset in his eyes.

"You have never been a disappointment to me, Erwin. Until now. I expect you to tell me what's going on with your life. I don't want to hear it from your friend Levi or Petra. They 've been more than helpful. Did you hear that, Elyse?" His father asked, loudly.

Elyse looked at them, her face flushed, and she nodded.

Erwin had to hide his smile at that. He had missed her blushing face.

"Why are you here, Father? I mean—"

His father cut him off with a glare before answering his question, "Well, I'm here for Elyse."

"Elyse?" Erwin asked, turning to look at her. Elyse immediately looked down and ushered the children outside the door as they shouted their goodbyes.

"She's nominated for an award for the production at the theatre. Aren't you, too? You both worked on it, didn't you?" His father asked, and Erwin could make out the mischievous glint in his father's eyes.

"Father, this is not a game." Erwin sighed, trying hard not to look back at where Elyse had left.

His father snorted, his stare cross now instead of the playful one he had earlier.

"Then what is this, son? Last thing I heard from Levi was that you had disappeared after the Army and that you didn't show up for three months. Elyse had left with the kids, giving up on you. You suddenly sent that Commander Nile Dok with divorce papers at her doorstep with your signature. The only time she ever heard from you ever since you left. Then, you are lingering around Germany here and there, a ghost drifting in between places. You stopped going to therapy for PTSD even after just recently leaving the battlefield is dangerous, son. Unless, you were that desperate to have her by your side. Sounds like a cat and mouse game to me." His father stated, his tone cold and disapproving.

Erwin shook his head, slowly, his hand tapping on his leg.

"You think I did that on purpose? I signed the divorce papers, did I not? If you're talking about lingering, Father, it's her. She didn't sign them. She's the one who came over here with kids and—"

"What else is she supposed to do, Erwin? She hears that the father of children, not only finally shows up, but he's suffering. She has enough suffering in her life, you know that."

"Exactly, why! I…I can't keep doing this to her. I didn't ask for her to be here. I didn't ask for her to bring the children. I didn't ask to make her miserable. I just do, okay? She was in love with someone else, and I had promised to give that to her. When that bastard broke her heart, I obviously wasn't going to leave her like that. That's why I made sure she was happy and taken care of, but it wasn't enough. Nothing is ever enough when it comes to her. You think I wanted to do this to her, Father? She's the mother of my children and, once upon a time, a friend. That's why….That's why I left."

Erwin didn't hear his father after that. Instead, he felt his father's hand on his back before Erwin found himself being led to sit down on the couch.

"Son, I want you to ask yourself this question then." His father said, leaning onto his cane so his son could hear him.

Erwin nodded, slowly.

"Why do you keep on coming back then?" His father asked, pointedly.

Erwin closed his eyes, and he let himself relax. He let the anger he had been holding onto go, for just a moment.

"I'm not coming back." Erwin finally stated. His defense mechanism, his anger, gone, replaced with a sense of melancholy his father sympathetically sighed at.

His father studied him before nodding, "I see."

Before Erwin or his father could say anything else, Elyse walked back inside and she gave them a small smile before leading them to the dining room to eat.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me?" Erwin's voice broke through her thoughts as she folded laundry in the living room.

The kids were asleep upstairs and she had thought Erwin was in his office, doing whatever he was doing.

She was proven wrong as soon as she looked up, his serious gaze staring right through her.

Elyse looked back down, focusing on the pile of laundry.

"I didn't think it was the appropriate time, Erwin. With what has been happening." Elyse pointed out, softly.

"It's already been three months since I've started therapy. I'm pretty sure the time has passed to tell me, Elyse." Erwin pointed out.

Elyse sighed and she looked up at him, tiredly.

"What did you want me to say, Erwin? Oh, by the way, I know we haven't seen or talked to each other in months, but we were nominated for an award." Elyse said, sarcastically.

Erwin clenched his jaw, and Elyse immediately looked back to the laundry, not wanting to be under his watchful gaze.

"Elyse, don't do this." Erwin finally said, his voice tight.

"Do what, Erwin? Point out the truth?" Elyse replied, mentally patting her back at her retort.

Erwin didn't say anything, and Elyse could feel his presence leaving the room. Before he could leave, she called out to him with resignation in her voice.

He turned back to look at her, and she looked up at him.

"Be ready by 8 tomorrow night. You already know how these things work." Elyse finally said.

She could see a tiny smile on his face before he nodded and walked away.

It wasn't until moments later that she realized she had a smile of her own.

* * *

The event was chaotic. It seemed that the press was tipped that they were on their way, and Elyse wanted to turn back around and just hide in the Estate.

It had been _months_ since the press had bothered her and her family. But, now, this was going to be the first public appearance of her and Erwin ever since he came back from the Army and she bounded back up from her therapy and the shooting.

She knew the press had no clue about what was happening behind the scenes. The only ones who knew about the separation were the ones who they had trusted with their lives.

Petra had squealed at the information about her making a public appearance. Freida and Hanji had jumped at the opportunity of helping out. It was Levi who stayed quiet when he heard that Erwin was joining her.

He gave her a pointed, knowing look and Elyse ignored it as the girls and Hanji got her ready.

Petra had chosen a blush-colored dress that was strapless. It had a chiffon bottom and strappy nude heels that Elyse fell in love with instantly. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, but the strands of hair came down in long waves. Her makeup was done with a natural, dewy finish and Elyse had missed this part of getting ready.

When Erwin saw her as he looked up from playing with the kids, Elyse noticed the wistfulness in his gaze before it reverted back into being unreadable. He was handsome in his black tux and his hair neatly parted and his stubble gone.

"You look beautiful." Erwin complimented her before turning back to wave his goodbyes as they got into the car.

Elyse didn't miss the warning looks that Erwin and her brother exchanged.

The press was screaming their names as Erwin helped her get out. Elyse felt all the attention and flashing of lights at them, and she found herself gripping Erwin's arm out of habit. The large hand on the small of her back was enough for Elyse to be nostalgic and warm. Realizing her train of thoughts turning into memories, Elyse was glad when they finally entered the venue and got to their seat, which, of course, had to be front row. The press must be really missing them or making up for their obnoxiousness in the beginning.

Erwin must've noticed, too, since he upheld his charming demeanor. For a moment, Elyse almost forgot that Erwin had been at a low point months ago. He was different now, and Elyse found herself almost blushing as Erwin had bent down to help her with her dress so she could sit.

"Thanks." Elyse whispered, gratefully.

Erwin looked up at her then, a smile on his face.

Elyse forgot to breathe.

"You're welcome." He whispered back before returning his attention back to the stage.

Elyse noticed that the lights were dimming and she looked ahead, forcing herself to breathe once more.

* * *

"And the winner for Original Production is…Erwin Smith and Elyse Rose Jaeger-Ackerman Smith!" The hosts announced.

Elyse's hazel eyes widened and she stood up with Erwin's help as everyone around them congratulated them. Elyse held onto Erwin's arms and she felt tears gathering in her eyes as Erwin placed a hand on his face before tears began to stream down his own face.

It's as if all the horrible memories and the separation was forgotten. Elyse remembered the stories that his soldiers shared with her as they visited the Estate to visit their old Commander. Elyse remembered it all even though it was hard for her to stomach.

Erwin deserved at least this.

Without even thinking, Elyse tiptoed to kiss the hand on his face as he cried. The cheers of everyone around them as they gave him and her a standing ovation was enough for Elyse to gather her strength and help Erwin get onstage.

When the hosts gave them both hugs and kisses, Erwin had gathered his thoughts and bearings as he stood in front of the microphone.

"Wow…" Erwin breathed, and he took another breath as everyone cheered even louder and Elyse felt her cheeks get wet at his reaction.

"I didn't realize that I would be standing here today with my wife. We've had…We've had a tough year. With me being away and with her being a target…Most of you don't know what's happened and what we've lost, but your continual support is just…so amazing and breathtaking. This…This is dedicated to the company and the theatre that has worked so hard. To my father, my kids, my comrades, the one's I've lost, and, to this amazing person next to me," Erwin motioned for her to join him, and Elyse stood by his side as he wrapped an arm around her waist before placing a kiss on her forehead, "Thank you all so much."

Erwin moved back and he pushed Elyse towards the microphone and she took it, slowly. She laughed when the crowd began to chant her name and she wiped her cheeks, quickly.

"I think my husband said it all," Elyse said, out-of-breath," Yet, he tends to forget to thank himself. Without him, this wouldn't have happened, honestly." The crowd began to cheer, and Elyse smiled at Erwin.

"He's right we shouldn't be standing here today, but we are, to show the world that we are survivors and, well, that we're dedicating this to everyone who's feel like they've lost the world. We lost a baby the day of the shooting, to everyone who didn't know, and we want everyone who's been through this and feel like that they can't go on that this is for you. That it does get better. That you have a reason to get up every day. It's for the one's you've lost. It's for the one's you have. It's for those unexpected turns in your life. Thank you all so much."

As Elyse ended her speech, the whole venue was in an uproar, and as Elyse took a step back, she immediately turned to face Erwin and wrapped her arms around him and, for once, let herself cry.

* * *

Everyone offered their congratulations at the after party, sharing their love with them. The press was already praising them and congratulating them, wanting interviews with them. Elyse excused herself to go outside to take a breather.

It was exhilarating, really.

For once in her life, after that speech, she felt like a burden was taken off her shoulders.

When she turned back around to get back inside, she was met with an unexpected sight.

"…Braun?" Elyse asked, shocked.

Braun Lexington came into view and he still looked the same as ever expect this time, Elyse's heart didn't skip a beat. Instead, she looked at him, steadily and warily.

"Hey, Elyse." Braun greeted, softly.

"What do you want?" Elyse asked, looking around.

"There's no press here. Trust me." Braun assured her.

Elyse narrowed her eyes, "How can I trust you?"

Braun sighed and held his hands up in surrender, "I just wanted to apologize."

Elyse didn't say anything. Instead, she stared at him, indecorously.

"That…That was a beautiful speech. You and him. I…I know that everything has been messed up for you and him, and I truly want to apologize to you. I've hurt not only you, but everyone around you." Braun stated, apologetically.

Elyse looked away and she crossed her arms, but she let him continue.

"…Elyse, I know that whatever we had is over, has been over. I'm sorry that I ever tried to pursue you when it's obvious that it wasn't meant to be." Braun pleaded.

"We're both at fault. And I thank you for your apology. I'm sorry, too, Braun." Elyse stated.

Braun nodded and coughed slightly, he scratched his head sheepishly. Elyse smiled at him in return, trying to be reassuring.

Braun softened at that.

"…I'm glad you're happy, Elyse." Braun stated, offering an olive branch.

Elyse scoffed at that, "Do I look happy?"

Braun nodded, his smile still soft, "Especially when you hugged Erwin onstage. You guys are truly in love."

That shocked Elyse into a standstill.

"In love?" Elyse echoed, confused.

Braun stared at her, and to her surprise, Braun groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Are you serious, Elyse? You're being serious, aren't you? You _really_ think that you're not in love with the man." Braun pointed out, frustrated.

"It was a—"

"It wasn't an act. We've both been in an act before. I know you're acting, Elyse. Just drop it, Elyse. You love the man."

Elyse stiffened, "You don't know what's been happening for the past year, Braun."

"Let me guess. You guys had a fight. You gave him an ultimatum. He didn't come back. You left him. Yet, here you guys are." Braun stated.

Elyse widened her eyes, "How did you…?"

Braun shook his head in frustration, "It's what you've guys been doing since whenever this started."

"But, you know what, Elyse? You're still with him. You're still here. You cried with him. Why is that, Elyse?" Braun asked, pointedly.

Elyse shook her head, backing away slightly.

"That's not it, Braun. Even…Even if I did…our problems are just too big—"

"Too big? You just announced to the world that you both lost a child when it came to that shooting. Yet, you embraced each other and cried together. Whatever problems you guys have…I'm sure you can overcome them."

Elyse pondered his words, and her heart began to beat furiously.

She…

She was in love with Erwin.

She loved Erwin.

She loves Erwin.

"Elyse." A voice sounded from behind her and she turned around, immediately. She saw Erwin coming towards her, and she saw a relieved smile on his face. That disappeared when he saw the person behind her.

Before she knew it, Elyse watched as Erwin's face clouded over with anger and he turned back around and walked the other direction.

"Erwin!" Elyse called out to him, but he didn't turn back around.

Elyse turned to face Braun and he gave her a knowing smile.

"Go."

That's all she needed to hear.

* * *

It wasn't hard finding him. She found him staring out at the water next to the venue of the after party. She could hear the chatter and music disappear slightly as she approached Erwin's backside.

"Are you going to tell me that you want to get back with Braun, Elyse? If that's so, can you just sign the divorce papers and get it over with?" Erwin stated, quietly, as he heard her approaching.

"Erwin…please let me explain." Elyse pleaded, softly.

Erwin turned to face her and his anger was replaced with tiredness as he stared at her.

"Elyse. Let's stop this, okay? Let's sign the papers. We can have joint custody of the kids, we'll make it work."

"Stop what, Erwin?" Elyse asked, suddenly scared at his words.

"Pretending. Pretending that we're okay. Pretending that we can stand each other. Let this go." Erwin stated, each word a strike to her heart.

"Then, can you meet me halfway? Can you hear me out, please?" Elyse pleaded, her heart breaking at the thought of him disappearing from her life.

"Elyse…" Erwin trailed off and he looked at her, warily.

"…When you came into my life, I had thought you a distraction. Something that could take my mind out of my twisted life. Then, the unexpected happened and I got pregnant with Armin. Ever since then, I…I have been through up and downs in my life, but you remained constant. Then, you got angry and I felt horrible. You left. You left when I gave you an ultimatum. And, I've never felt so confused and lost in my life. I didn't know what to do. I tried to just get rid of every aspect of you, but it was impossible. When I heard about your PTSD, I didn't think twice. I came to you, and so many people, even my brother, asked why. I could never figure it out."

"What do you want me to do, Elyse?" Erwin asked her, automatically.

"I want you to tell me why. Why do you think you make me miserable?" Elyse asked, softly.

Erwin froze at that and then he relaxed, "So, you heard?"

Elyse nodded, feeling a bit guilty, but she had been curious about it ever since she heard her father-in-law ask Erwin that one question that had been haunting her, "Why do you keep coming back, Erwin?"

Erwin didn't answer as he clenched his jaw.

"I'm not coming back, Elyse. If you heard everything else, then you've heard my answer." Erwin replied, casually.

"So, you're saying if I sign the papers, you're not going to come back." Elyse stated.

Erwin nodded, and Elyse could tell he was struggling to fight back something.

"I don't want to." Elyse finally answered, standing her ground.

Erwin looked at her, exasperated, desperateness in his eyes.

"Then, what do you want, Elyse? What could you possibly want from me? Braun wants you. Every other guy in the world wants you. What do you want from me?" Erwin hissed, frustrated.

"Erwin—"

"Elyse, let's stop this, please. I can't do this anymore." Erwin cut her off, angrily, about to storm off.

Elyse faced his backside and she took a deep breath.

"Erwin, please."

"What, Elyse? Why do you keep doing this?" Erwin shouted, turning to face her, his cold gaze focused on her.

"Because I love you." Elyse answered, her voice raised and her heart beating furiously.

Time seemed to be at a standstill. Both of them just staring at each other.

"…What?" Erwin asked, the silence finally being broken.

"…I love you, Erwin. Okay? I've been fighting it the moment I was close to realizing what this was, but I can't anymore. Braun even pointed it out to me. I can't lose you anymore, and I can't pretend that everything is fine. I'm willing to work on this. On us. Because…I fucking love you, you asshole." Elyse stated, frustrated.

She had been looking down the entire time and heart began to pound every single time she heard Erwin's footsteps come a bit closer.

She was forced to look up as Erwin grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. She was met with those unreadable icy blue eyes that she had tried to forget for so long.

"Do you really? Do you truly love me?" Erwin asked, his voice hard and strained.

Elyse tried to search his eyes, and she gave up when she couldn't read anything.

"Yes, I do. I love you, you insufferable ass—"

The hardness of his kiss cut her off, and Elyse felt his hands drop down to her waist as he pulled her closer. She missed him. It overwhelmed her; his scent, his lips, and his touch.

None of this was perfect or pristine.

And, for once, Elyse embraced the unexpected.

* * *

A:N/ Have a great Thanksgiving as you finally revel in the fact that this has finally happened.


	30. Chapter 30

A:N/ You guys are awesome, and I'm really glad you stuck around for this story.

I dedicate this great, long-awaited chapter to Ktrivia and ST. You guys have been commenting and screaming at/with me for so long LOL.

Elyse belongs to me. The rest do not, but they do deserve a happy ending that I'm oh-so willing to give them. 

* * *

Elyse forgot everything in that instant. Erwin's hands holding on to her was the only thing that kept her steady. She tasted whiskey and a mixture of mint on his lips and she sighed in the kiss, already losing herself.

In a moment, it was finished and Erwin broke it off as he let out a long-suffering sigh. Elyse gasped and she felt herself flush as she began to breathe deeply.

She looked up at him, and Erwin was already looking at her, intensely, and as if remembering what just happened, Elyse blushed red. She tried to back away, but the steady grip on her waist reminded her that Erwin was holding on to her.

"Um, we should go back inside. Your father might be wondering where we are." Elyse offered, lamely. She tried to look at everywhere but him, but his serious gaze wasn't leaving her face.

Instead of answering her, Erwin brought a hand to her lips, and Elyse realized that her lips were starting to swell due to hard kiss they had shared moments earlier.

"You love me." Erwin finally whispered, stroking her bottom lip with his calloused thumb.

Elyse swallowed thickly at the mere reminder of what she had said, and she couldn't trust her voices. She nodded instead.

"Say it again. I want to hear you say it again." Erwin stated, more like ordered, and Elyse felt herself get even more hot at the hint of desperation in his voice.

"Erwin, can we please go back inside and not leave your father all alone by himself?" Elyse pleaded, trying desperately to change the subject.

Erwin remained adamant as he stared at her, her lip still caught by his thumb.

"Just once, Elyse." Erwin pleaded, and Elyse almost melted at the sound of his voice. He was really _asking_ her. It was a foreign, yet somehow pleasing sound coming from a man like him.

"I love you, okay?" Elyse finally said, trying very hard not to get even more red at the words that slipped out of her lips.

Erwin let go of her then, and he gently placed an arm around her waist so he could pull her up against him as he began to walk them towards the venue.

"Thank you, Elyse." Erwin whispered, and before she knew it, Elyse felt a light press of his lips against her hot forehead.

She didn't even get to react because she found herself swept up by the press as they returned, but she couldn't help but give a vibrant smile.

Erwin's arm around her waist remained the rest of the night.

Elyse kept blushing as her father-in-law looked at both of them with a smug, knowing smile on his lips.

Now she knew where Erwin got his smugness.

It didn't help the fact that Erwin had been somehow touching her all night. As if he couldn't believe that she was next to him.

* * *

"So, eventful night?" Her father-in-law asked them. Elyse coughed, slightly, and she nodded. She could feel Erwin's stare next to her, but she wasn't about to let her father-in-law's smile get even wider.

Once they reached the Estate, Elyse breathed a sigh of relief as he father-in-law immediately excused himself and retired for the night. She kissed his cheek goodnight and Erwin had to actually let go of her to help his father back into his own personal car.

Elyse immediately went back inside, all too willing to avoid Erwin and everyone else as soon as she got to her room.

She was stopped by the unexpected guests in her house. She noticed Levi was reading a book on the couch, and Petra had fallen asleep on his lap as Freida was sitting by his legs, playing with the supposed sleeping children.

Elyse coughed and glared at them once everyone turned to look at her.

Freida yelped and stood up while pulling the scared kids up. Elyse narrowed her eyes, and her children shuffled their feet as they tried to look away. They knew they were in trouble.

Levi even stood up, and Petra had woken up from the commotion.

"Want to explain to me as to why my children are up so late?" Elyse asked, pointedly. Freida smiled, sheepishly, and she opened her mouth to explain until suddenly everyone seemed to freeze as Elyse was forcibly turned around.

Elyse felt her body get swept up in a strong embrace and before she knew it, her frowning lips were caught up in Erwin's smiling ones as he held on to her.

When they broke apart, Elyse was ready to run away as soon as Erwin's gaze looked up and he saw that they had an audience. His happy face was gone in an instant, and his face paled as soon as he met Levi's angry face.

Petra and Freida were the ones who looked like they were about to jump out the window.

Recovering just a bit, Petra began to cough and usher the kids upstairs, as they made weird faces over the fact that their parents showed affection in front of them.

As the kids and Petra disappeared upstairs, Levi's face grew more stern instead of angry.

It was Freida's next words that stole the moment.

"What the actual fuck just happened right now." Freida whispered in the tense, quiet room.

Elyse could feel herself die inside at the embarrassment and fear she was feeling at the sight of her brother, ready to strangle one of them if they both dared to move.

"Um, so we won the award?" Elyse tried to state, but it ended up sounding like a question which didn't help the tense situation at all.

Her brother still stared at them as if they've grown two heads and Freida was torn between looking absolutely gleeful or absolutely shocked.

Erwin's arm around her waist tightened and Elyse looked up at his sharp jaw as he looked straight at Levi.

"Levi, I— "

"Are you guys getting divorced?" Levi asked, suddenly, interrupting Erwin.

Elyse froze at that, and Erwin tensed at that, also.

"…It's been a long night, okay? Can we talk about all of this tomorrow— "

"No, we're not." Erwin stated, seriously, interrupting Elyse's plea to be excused for the night.

Levi didn't even flinch. Instead, he brought his chin up, challenging Erwin.

"I watched and heard your speeches. I must say, I was shocked to see that it seemed…genuine, but then again, you guys have been pretending with all of us from day one." Levi said, straight-forwardly.

Guilt clouded Elyse's thoughts and from the curling of Erwin's fingers around her waist, Elyse could tell that he was feeling it too.

"I'm sorry, Levi. I promise— "

"I don't want to be blindsided anymore, you two. Do you understand that? Your actions have affected everyone around you, and we have all been trying to accommodate all this craziness for so long. Not only for you, but for my nephews and niece. I'm not about to lie to them about how their parents are just tired and need some time to be apart." Levi continued, holding a hand up.

Elyse began to feel even more guilty at the sound of her brother's tiredness in his voice.

"…It's not the same anymore, Levi. I swear it." Erwin promised.

"Are you sure, Erwin? How about you, Elyse? How can we all be so sure that this won't happen again? You guys fight and you separate once more. What do we do then? What will we have to do to assure your kids that you guys are okay?" Levi prodded, mercilessly.

Elyse looked down and she shuffled her feet, nervously.

Elyse could feel Erwin's gaze on her, but she was too guilt-ridden and ashamed to look at him.

Her brother was right.

They didn't think about how it was affecting the people around them. It had taken the people they cared about questioning them to realize the extent of their selfishness.

How would this be different? Sure, Elyse realized her feelings for Erwin, but is this all too soon? God, the man had signed the divorce papers not so long ago.

And, if Elyse remembered clearly, Erwin didn't even say that he loved her back.

It was enough for Elyse to want and hide from all of this.

She had been through such a barrel of emotions; she was sure that she was going to explode at this point.

"I'm sure." Erwin's strong voice intruded into her thoughts and Elyse looked up in shock.

Levi narrowed his eyes at the man as he crossed his arms.

"Oh? How sure are you?" Levi prodded, and it was as if Levi had read something in Erwin's gaze that Elyse was clearly missing.

A knowing glint in her brother's eyes made Elyse furrow her brows and she was sure that Freida seemed to share the same look with her.

"Because I love her. Because I'm willing to work on this with her." Erwin replied, his voice strong and clear.

Elyse's heart almost leapt out her chest as she gazed at him with her wide hazel eyes.

That answer seemed to shock the whole entire house. Petra had screamed from the top of the stairs and she ran down the stair without any other words. Freida slapped her hand on Levi's back repeatedly, her mouth wide open in happiness.

It was Levi's face that Elyse almost wanted to slap her hands on.

He looked smug, as if he knew what Erwin's answer was going to be.

Elyse forgot all the shock and surprise at Erwin's confession and she narrowed her eyes at her brother, every memory of him prodding at her feelings for Erwin and the pushing he did when it came to seeing him.

"You knew." Elyse hissed, annoyed. Her brother simply smiled and shrugged, "It was about time that you guys figured it out. I thought I would have to literally spell it out for you in a therapy session."

Erwin chuckled at that and Elyse looked up to glare at him.

Erwin smiled sheepishly at her in apology. Elyse turned her attention back to her brother, pushing Erwin's arm away as she crossed her arms.

She looked at Petra and Freida, who were jumping up and down at the news.

"And you guys too?" Elyse asked, exasperated. Dieter and Nifa came out from the shadows and the smiles on their faces was enough to give up the fact that they had been eavesdropping.

Elyse didn't miss it when Nifa slipped Dieter a couple of Euros.

"Wow, you guys suck. You really bet on this?" Elyse pointed out, trying to grab the Euros out of Dieter's grasp.

"it's not our fault that you both are emotionally stunted. It was frustrating, but God, _finally_." Freida sighed, tiredly.

Everyone laughed and smiled at that, but Elyse wasn't having any of it.

"Nope! All of you, out." Elyse hissed, annoyed. One of her eye twitched when Freida rolled her eyes at her.

"Oh, come on, Elyse. You should be happy. You're in love with this annoying man and he's in love with your annoying self. Burn the divorce papers. Shove your tongues down each other's throats— "

"GET OUT." Elyse shouted, her face red and she pushed her brother out while she dragged Petra and Freida with her.

They let her, and before she could slam the door at their face, Levi stopped her.

"Breakfast tomorrow?" Levi asked, innocently. Elyse paused at that and she sighed and nodded, slowly.

Her brother cocked his head and smiled at her and Elyse warmed at that.

"Have fun tonight. I would say use protection, but then again, you guys— "

Elyse slammed the door at her brother's face and she was met with high-pitched laughter.

Elyse turned around and she looked at Dieter and Nifa's smug faces.

"Go back to your houses, you two." Elyse said, with a warning in her voice.

They both smiled and nodded, but before Dieter could leave, Elyse held out her hand towards him. With a sigh, Dieter placed the Euros in her hand before he left with Nifa following him.

Erwin and Elyse were left alone in the living room, and Elyse sighed tiredly. After a moment, she remembered where she was and she looked at Erwin, her face aflame.

Erwin looked amused, his gaze warm.

"So…" He drawled, amused, and he took a step towards her. Elyse looked away, and she coughed.

"So, goodnight." Elyse muttered, but before she could dart up the stairs, Erwin's hand grabbed her arm and he pulled her towards him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Erwin asked, his gaze playful and….Elyse blushed, remembering the teasing words that her brother and Freida had stated.

A sudden fear sprang up in Elyse's heart at the thought of rushing…their relationship? Their marriage? God, what was this even?

"Erwin…"Elyse trailed off, her hands on his chest as she gently pushed him away.

Erwin didn't seem to be hurt. Instead, he looked a bit surprised before understanding dawned on him.

"I see. Not ready?" Erwin asked, softly.

"I mean, this is somehow new, you know? Yes, we've been married and we've done…stuff. Oh, God, what am I-What I'm trying to say is that…"

"Elyse. Look at me." Erwin demanded, gently. Elyse obeyed and she looked up and she felt her heart skip a beat at the soft gaze on his face as he looked at her.

"Yes?" Elyse asked, trying to calm her heart as Erwin gazed lovingly at her hands on his chest as he held them in his grasp.

"I love you." Erwin whispered, his blue eyes met her hazel ones.

Elyse felt like she was sinking, and she flushed at how serious his gaze was.

"I-I love you too." Elyse managed to say back, shyly.

Erwin's face brightened at that, and it was enough for Elyse to relax in his hold as he drew her closer.

He pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead and she closed her eyes, reveling in the moment.

"We'll figure this all out, okay? We can do this slow and we can talk about everything day by day. I mean," Erwin pulled away, but he weaved their fingers together as he looked at her with a smile on his face, "I'm just happy that you're here and you're real. And I'm willing to do anything to make it stay that way."

Elyse smiled widely at that and she wrapped her arms around him, tightly.

She had to make sure he was real too.

* * *

The next morning, Elyse woke up in her separate bedroom in the Estate, and she was confused for just a moment before realizing that everything that happened last night wasn't a dream.

She smiled and squealed in her pillow at the memories. The flush in her cheeks as she hummed made her smile even more as she washed her face and brushed her teeth.

As she walked downstairs, she noticed that the smell of breakfast was already underway and the sound of happy chatter from children made her curious. It was only six in the morning, why was everyone up so early?

Elyse entered the kitchen and her heart softened at the sight of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa giggling as Erwin, one of her aprons half-around his waist, tried to teach them how to cook eggs.

Mikasa had looked up then, and she greeted her mother happily. Elyse laughed at the sight of Mikasa's hair being up so sloppily. Must be Erwin's handiwork.

Erwin looked up then also, and Elyse leaned onto the doorway, crossing her arms. He smiled warmly at her and Elyse realized how much she had missed this. How much she had missed him. How much she had missed this warmness between them.

"Good morning." Erwin greeted, softly.

"Good morning, love." Elyse greeted back.

The wide smile that Elyse received in return due to her sweet name she had called him made Elyse giggle, lightly.

"What are you guys trying to do?" Elyse asked, an eyebrow raised as she motioned towards the dirty dishes and the mess they had made.

"Well," Erwin looked around with a sigh, but he looked at their children proudly as they continued to concentrate, "We were trying to make breakfast for you first, but I don't think we've managed to even crack an egg onto a bowl."

Elyse pushed herself off the doorway and made her way towards them. She kissed her children's foreheads before turning to Erwin. She noticed that he had a spot of butter on his cheek, so she reached out to wipe it off.

"You guys need help?" Elyse asked, amused.

Erwin caught her hand in his, placing a warm, lingering kiss on her knuckles

"Yes, please." Erwin sighed against her knuckles. Elyse had to pull her hand away as she met his gaze. She cleared her throat and she turned her attention back to the kids as they tried to prove to her that they could crack an egg.

Elyse suppressed a secret smile as Erwin managed to get another apron for her and tie it around her waist.

She didn't miss the fact that his fingers still lingered.

* * *

Elyse felt weird.

If not for the fact that the kids were gone since they had school, but the fact that Erwin was now just sitting in the living room, reading whatever book that was on his lap with his glasses perched on that straight nose of his.

She had winced at the memory of her brother finding out that Erwin had left a note that stated that he was leaving the company, and Levi had been _livid_. That was when Elyse had received those stupid divorce papers at the same exact time.

Granted, it hadn't been on official statement paper that Erwin had resigned, and that's why the press didn't catch it. Everyone had simply believed that Erwin needed time off after being away on the battlefield.

From what Elyse had read in the media world right now, Erwin and her were being praised for their speeches and a lot of them have commentated on how everything made sense now from the silence that they were getting from their family.

But, what now…?

Erwin, being out in the open in the Estate, was so foreign to her.

"I can feel you looking at me, Elyse." Erwin's voice broke through her thoughts, and she flushed when she realized she had been caught. It didn't help that Erwin didn't even bother to look up and he only had a small smile on his face as he continued to pay attention to his book.

"Sorry." Elyse muttered, and she turned around to try and walk away, but Erwin's voice stopped her.

"Levi and I talked about it. I'm going back to work at the company next week." Erwin stated, and he looked at her then, amusement and an all-knowing smirk written on his face.

Elyse turned back around and she narrowed her eyes at him, sighing.

"How do you do that?" Elyse asked, giving up.

Erwin chuckled and he motioned for her to sit next to him, and Elyse, still a bit shy and embarrassed around him, complied, slowly.

She made sure she wasn't touching him as she sat on the other end of the couch, and she shot Erwin a warning look as he chuckled at her awkward position.

He didn't question her though as he watched her draw her legs toward her as she sat in front of him.

He placed his book on the space between them, and Elyse relaxed her feet beneath the pages of the book, smiling at the silliness of it all.

"You like feeling the crispness of pages in a book. You like to use your index finger to trace the words as you read. You bite your bottom lip when you're in deep thought. You usually stare at people with a weird look when you want to confront them about something." Erwin finished, giving her a pointed look as Elyse gaped at him.

He placed a hand on her the book, and Elyse tensed slightly even though he wasn't even touching her.

"You stared at me with that weird look as I noticed you perusing over the article that reads, 'Erwin Smith: Back In Business.' You're easy to read…except for one thing." Erwin began and Elyse let out a tiny laugh as he removed the book off her feet. He used his long fingers to knead the soles of her feet and Elyse began to relax.

"Except for what?" Elyse asked, softly, closing her eyes as she began to enjoy the foot massage.

"I didn't believe that you could love me." Erwin answered.

Elyse opened her eyes then, and she immediately sat up, taken aback by his answer.

She drew her feet away from him, and she hugged her legs as she looked away, shyly.

Erwin laughed at her reaction.

"Oh, come on, Elyse. We've done so many…intimate things and _this_ is what gets you embarrassed?" Erwin asked, incredulously.

Elyse looked back at Erwin, ready to tell him off, but she noticed the softness in his gaze as he smiled at her. She decided to ignore his question as she noticed that Erwin looked away from her, his gaze now a bit far-off.

"What?" Elyse prodded, giving up her shyness for curiosity instead.

"We've been married for six years, you know that? I know it doesn't count, but I didn't realize how much time has passed because…I've enjoyed my time with you and with what you've brought into my life. I just," Erwin laughed in the middle of his speech, and Elyse shoved his legs with her feet to force him to continue, "I just feel stupid for not realizing how much I love you."

Feeling playful and giddy at his sudden confession, Elyse laughed and she flipped her hair for dramatic effect, "I have that effect on people."

Erwin rolled his eyes at her and he bent forward, his hands and arms caging her in as his face was mere inches away from her.

"That you confuse people? Seems accurate." Erwin said, sarcastically.

"More like how I make people feel stupid because I'm always right." Elyse shot back, her dimpled cheeks showing as she placed a hand on Erwin's face and began to stroke the stubble that was already beginning to show.

This banter was just as perfect as it was before.

It was beginning to get easier with him. Sure, she felt a bit uneasy with him. Sometimes, she didn't know where to start with him because they had been so angry with each other for so long that she had forgot what it was like to be intimate with him.

But, this is what she missed. The fact that they now know that they love each other was something new, and granted, Elyse felt a bit shy about it, but she was starting to relax especially now that Erwin's lips were getting closer to hers.

She willingly closed the gap between them and she sighed happily as she felt Erwin's hands gingerly stroke her back as he pulled her closer.

She was beginning to grow hot at the sound of Erwin's impatient growl as he deepened the kiss and Elyse was starting to feel a bit cautious of their surroundings and the fact that this maybe more than just simply kissing if it went too far. She started to feel self-conscious, but the fact that Erwin's lips were starting to trail down her neck was making her start to crave him…since…since

The dark memory of the shooting crossed her mind, and Elyse placed firm hands on his chest in retaliation as she pushed him away.

Erwin pulled away, worried.

"Elyse, are you okay?" Erwin asked, concerned, his touch immediately leaving her and Elyse felt a bit cold.

Elyse nodded, but she began to breathe deeply, remembering the exercises that her therapist made her do whenever she was beginning to have a panic attack.

"I'm-I'm sorry. Just…another-another memory of—"Elyse cut herself off as she began to breathe deeply.

Elyse grabbed onto his button down as she tried to control her trembling body.

Erwin's arms wrapped around her, slowly, and Elyse grabbed onto him as she buried her head in his shoulder, closing her eyes and breathing in and out.

"I'm sorry, Elyse. I didn't mean to— "

"This isn't your fault, Erwin. It's not." Elyse whispered, trying hard to focus.

"I know you're not ready, and I just…would it be annoying if I told you that I can't control myself around you anymore?" Erwin sighed, holding her even closer.

Elyse embraced the feeling of being protected by Erwin's strong arms as she laughed softly in his shoulder.

"Not annoying. Charming." Elyse whispered, pulling away a bit after she realized that she felt a bit better.

She looked up at him and she gave a small kiss on his cheek in gratitude. She didn't miss the heartwarming smile he gave her back in return.

"Gross, why are you so touchy-touchy now?" A disgusted small voice from behind them asked. Elyse and Erwin turned to face the source of the voice, and they smiled when they realized that their kids were home.

Eren looked grossed out as he stuck his tongue out at his parent's positions.

Armin looked confused and Mikasa was focused on the fact that she wanted to hug her father and mother. As Mikasa ran towards them, Erwin let go of her and Elyse smiled widely as Erwin got up to pick up Mikasa and spin her around.

The nightmare truly forgotten as the dream she craved for unraveled before her.

* * *

Elyse loved her personal bath time. It was the only time she could truly unravel and unwind when it came to a long day with dealing with the theatre, the kids, and her own public appearance.

She sunk into the water even more as she sighed in happiness.

"Looks nice. Can I join in?" A voice interrupted her thoughts and she gasped as she opened her eyes and noticed that Erwin was looking at her, amused, his arms crossed as he leaned on the doorway of his bathroom.

Granted, she had thought he would be too busy with the paperwork that had been piling in since he started working with Levi again in the company. So, Elyse thought of the big, beautiful bathtub in his bathroom that she used to enjoy when he wasn't in the Estate.

Now that he's in the Estate, Elyse didn't know whether she should ask him about using it or she should just use it because he shouldn't mind.

Being caught in his bathroom and in his bathtub, naked but not showing due to the bubbles, which she was very grateful for, was not in her plan.

"I swear I thought you were too busy to realize that I would be using your bathtub tonight." Elyse explained, quickly.

Erwin chuckled, walking towards her. He bent down in order to face her and he brushed a stray hair away from her forehead.

"You don't like your bathtub?" Erwin asked, with a raised eyebrow. Elyse sighed, sinking deeper so only her head showed.

"It's not that I don't like it. Your bathtub just speaks to me." Elyse stated, seriously. Erwin looked at her as if she had grown two heads.

"Speaks to you?" Erwin prodded, amused. Elyse faced him, annoyed, and she noticed that he was more casual today. His hair was undone and his top buttons were undone. He looked so effortless, it wasn't fair.

"Yes, Erwin. It's like…when theatre speaks to me. Or, remember the time when we had to pick Eren's tux for his third birthday? That little tux spoke to me." Elyse pointed out with her chin up.

"Ah, I see." Erwin agreed, and Elyse noticed that his fingers were playing with the bubbles as he contemplated her answer.

Elyes sighed, noticing the amused corners of his mouth.

"You don't and you're an ass." Elyse groused, slapping Erwin's hands away as she splashed him.

She had underestimated how much water she used to splash at him and she laughed when she realized she doused his whole face which continued to drip onto his button down.

Erwin stood up and he took off his shirt easily. Elyse swallowed at the sight of Erwin's muscular chest, but it was replaced with sadness when she noticed the new scars that had made her remember what he went through before coming back home to them.

Elyse raised her hand and Erwin's smiled turned into a slight frown when he realized that she was tracing the scars on his chest.

"Do they hurt?" Elyse asked, quietly.

Erwin grabbed her hand, gently, and he placed a soft kiss on each finger before answering her, "Not anymore."

Elyse rolled her eyes at that, and Erwin chuckled, the mood brightening. Elyse stared at their hands for a moment before she looked at him.

"Join me." Elyse said, smiling.

Erwin looked taken aback by her suggestion and then he looked a bit uncertain.

Erwin looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.

He looked down for a moment and Elyse thought that he was staring at her until she realized that he was trying to look in every direction besides her direction.

"I…I want to, Elyse. Believe me, I do." Erwin began and Elyse could tell he was struggling to say something which was very un-Erwin like and it made her anxious.

"But?" Elyse asked, trying to be gentle with her tone but she noticed it came out a bit panicked.

Erwin looked up at her, and she saw that he had fear in his eyes as if he offended her in any way.

"I just don't…trust myself to be in a bathtub with you right now." Erwin explained, softly.

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that, placing her hand atop his.

"I'm sorry, I don't—"Elyse cut herself off as realization hit her.

Oh.

Elyse blushed and she immediately took her hand off of his and Erwin's stare wasn't helping as she flushed brightly and drew her legs back up towards her.

"I'm a bad person. I'm sorry. I didn't realize that this would be…tempting to you." Elyse said, hurriedly and she wanted to immediately drown herself in the bathtub as soon as the word 'tempting' came out of her mouth.

She was too into her embarrassed thoughts that she didn't realize that Erwin had stood up then and she found Erwin's fingers underneath her chin as he pulled her close to his face.

Elyse melted in his soft kiss and she almost sighed disappointedly when he drew away.

"Once we have this all figured out, I promise you that I'm never going to deny your invitation." Erwin whispered against her lips before he backed away and left with a small smile on his lips.

Once he left, Elyse dunked her whole entire body in the bathtub. She was never going to think of this place as her relaxation center anymore.

* * *

Elyse dried her hair with her towel as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She noticed a small pimple on her forehead and she sighed, annoyed.

"It's not that big. Don't be dramatic." Erwin's voice wafted in his room and Elyse turned to look at him, scrunching her nose in frustration.

"Says Mr. I Don't Get Pimples Anymore." Elyse pointed out with a sigh.

"You look fine." Erwin assured her.

"Once again, easy for you to say." Elyse yelled back at him as she noticed that Erwin had went back into the bathroom from what she saw in the reflection of the mirror.

"Can you check on the kids? I'm trying to train them to not rely on Nifa with getting ready anymore. It's time for the kids to start trying to do things on their own. We need to stop spoiling them." Elyse continued, knowing fully well that Erwin was probably fixing his tie in the bathroom mirror.

"I checked on them earlier. Walked in on Eren trying on Mikasa's stockings. Eventful trying to help him get them off his head." Erwin called back.

Elyse snorted at that, and Erwin's tsk at her noise came back.

Elyse smiled at that.

Event season was in full swing for them for three days already. At first, Erwin and Elyse were playing the 'avoid each other' game since they didn't know how to bring things up such as 'should they start getting ready together or was that too soon?'. It was unbearable as they awkwardly just met at the front door with the kids before they left for the event. That all changed when Erwin had barged in her room as he talked on the phone, desperation in his eyes as he looked at her.

He gestured for her to help him with his tie as his oozing, charming tone schmoozed whoever he was talking to on the other line. After she had helped him, Elyse sighed and grabbed the phone from Erwin's grasp, which shocked him, and she began to talk to the other person as easily as he had been.

Once she hung up for him, Erwin had shot her an amused smirk before he thanked her with a kiss on the cheek.

Since then, they had started getting ready together for the events they had to attend. Erwin would barge in, on the phone, pleading her for help with his eyes and Elyse would deliver her actress charm.

The kids had also been attending event season with them. It was Erwin's idea and Elyse had been confused as to why he wanted their running around and curious children during important, public events. One event later, Elyse watched as Erwin warmly stroke their children's sleeping heads as they slept on his lap and arms.

He had missed them.

She had missed this.

She could deal with the press and the snobs and the late nights.

All she needed was to go home to sleeping children and a husband who looked at her with love in his eyes.

But, some part of her was unsatisfied.

"Ready?" Erwin's voice interrupted her thoughts and Elyse forced a small smile as she turned to him.

Elyse nodded and as she walked past him to get the children, she ignored the concerned look on Erwin's face.

* * *

A:N/ Thanks loves! Here's another update! Enjoy and spread love.


	31. Chapter 31

A:N/ Here's another update!

Elyse belongs to me, and everyone else doesn't.

* * *

Elyse sighed as she hung up the last dress that she had used for the last event for event season. It's been a whole two months of being all dolled up, and she was grateful that she had at least two weeks to unwind before theatre practices began.

Elyse left her room to go downstairs and check if she had left anything downstairs as she continued to do some spring cleaning. The kids were gone due to school and Erwin…

Well, Erwin had returned to being the busybody that he had once been. The company was glad to have him back, and even Elyse noticed that her brother had been relaxing ever since Erwin made a comeback in the company.

She had raised an eyebrow when Petra had sent her pictures of her and Levi vacationing in New York City, but that would be another question for when her brother decides to come back.

Elyse knew her brother deserved a rest especially if he chose to be with his almost-wife in the process.

Elyse saw more of Hanji and Freida since they came around often because of the kids and the fact that Erwin needed a new assistant since Petra was gone, so Freida replaced that part. Hanji had replaced Isabelle. Isabelle had quit, taking time off to pursue another degree. Dieter had been curiously missing when he was no longer required after event season. Nifa was still living at the off-house, but she had taken another job with specialized unit with the Army ever since the kids had proven that they were grown enough to have Elyse take care of them without them crying for milk all the time. Elyse understood Nifa's job choice because of how Nifa felt like she was neglecting her duty when Erwin and Levi had gone off. Nowadays, Nifa was barely home, but Erwin and Elyse reminded her that her home will always be there for her.

It's been oddly quiet now. The Estate that was once filled with loud noises was peaceful, and Elyse didn't know whether she liked it or not.

Event season was the comeback for Erwin and Elyse, but Elyse still felt unsatisfied. She didn't know why. Erwin had been attentive to her and the family, even more so now that they established how they felt about each other and the fact that he was now reunited with their kids.

But, it still unnerved her.

It's as if they could smile and laugh all they want. He could kiss her and embrace her, and she would do the same. Yet, it was as if there was this elephant in the room that would make them question each other's motives from time to time.

Elyse knew that they still had their faults from the past, and that it could be the reason why Erwin was hesitant when it came to her and her to him.

But, how would one go about that?

Erwin was seeing a therapy for his PTSD. Elyse was seeing a therapy for the shooting still.

Maybe…it was time to see one together?

Yet, was it normal for happy, married couples to go into therapy?

Elyse shook her head. She didn't know what to think nowadays.

She looked around the empty Estate.

She didn't realize that she felt empty as well.

* * *

Erwin nodded, trying to pay attention to the man before him. He was in yet another conference meeting, seated at the head of the table. He placed hand under his chin to try and look like he was paying attention.

He tried to ignore the looks the woman at the other end was giving him as he noticed that she was more than willing to try and get his attention.

He made sure that his wedding band glinted in the light when he began to rub his chin.

The disappointment that flickered in her eyes was enough for Erwin to try and suppress the smile that was forming with his hand.

The reminder of his wedding ring made him doze off again as the presenter's voice droned on.

Erwin and Elyse had only started wearing their wedding rings reasons being for when they had accepted that award months ago. Event season soon came after, and the habit of wearing their rings became a ritual as quickly as how they began to comfortably get ready together.

But, what kept making him doze off and bothered during this meeting was the fact that his divorce lawyer had called him up moments earlier.

Erwin remembered her asking about the papers, and Erwin had remembered looking at them on his office desk, seeing his signature so prominent on the papers next to Elyse's absent one.

It was enough to shock Erwin into realizing what he had almost done.

He had hastily assured his divorce lawyer that they weren't going through with it, and she had warmly and surprisingly sent her regards to Elyse and him and wished for the best before she hung up.

Erwin was still bothered.

He remembered the look in Elyse's eyes after an event, and it bothered him since.

He stared at the papers before him and guilt began to eat at him.

When Elyse had confessed her love for him, Erwin had been sure he was dreaming. He was sure he had seen her talking warmly with Braun Lexington and that had shaken his very core as she turned to look at him surprised.

When she had chased him through the forest that separated the venue from the water, Erwin was ready to hear her ask for the papers. He was even ready with a pen if she needed it.

She had been playing with his heartstrings when she kept begging him to listen to her, and Erwin had tried to be calm and steady when she kept denying to give him the divorce that she clearly needed and that he needed in order to leave once and for all.

He had spiraled downward without her before. He could do it again if need be.

But, then, those wonderful four words tumbled out of her beautiful mouth and Erwin had remembered not being able to breathe and think.

Instead, he remembered how hard he tried to suppress everything about her that consumed him.

When he had first saw her on that train, how young and beautiful she had been compared to the strikingly gorgeous and mature woman she had become, Erwin didn't realize how much of Elyse he had let in.

He married her to make things right. He didn't intend to hurt her nor did he even intend to involve her as much as he did.

He tried to keep her at an arm's distance, yet she broke through those barriers when her stomach grew with Armin and how they gained Eren and Mikasa in those most unfortunate circumstances but a blessing nonetheless.

She was his miracle. One that he wasn't looking for, but one he gained anyways.

So, when she professed, so did his very being. He had held her then, and he didn't fight the feeling of wanting to be needed by her.

He loved her. He didn't how or when or where. He just did. He had been done fighting it, and now here they were.

He noticed that even though they had admitted the unimaginable, they didn't even know where or how to start everything. They had been through so much together, yet the anger and resentment they had for each other before was due to all the circumstances they had decided to go through without the other.

So, now what?

Erwin had burnt those divorce papers, watching the flames lick the papers in the fireplace in his office.

Then, he had left his office for this long conference meeting.

"Mr. Smith?" A voice broke through his thoughts, and Erwin snapped back into reality. He noticed that everyone was looking at his direction.

Erwin blinked and sighed, apologetically.

"I'm sorry. The kids have been sleeping late lately, and I didn't want them to bother my wife so I've been dealing with the bedtime stories and lullabies since three in the morning." Erwin lied, easily and charmingly.

When the woman on the side of the room sighed in longing, Erwin knew that his lie had worked. The men around him, the ones he knew had families, had nodded in agreement and sympathy.

"So, shall we continue?" Erwin asked, making a sweeping hand gesture.

When everyone nodded, Erwin smiled and paid attention as he fiddled with his wedding ring underneath the desk.

* * *

"Freida." Erwin called out as soon as he got out the elevator. He smiled and thanked the elevator attendant, who tipped his hat in response before letting the doors close.

Freida's head popped up from behind the receptionist's desk.

"Yeah, what's up?" Freida asked, standing up with her phone in hand. Erwin opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand as she fiddled with the earpiece in her ear.

Erwin raised an eyebrow as Freida looked deep in concentration.

"I told you that Mr. Smith doesn't need a fucking business deal. What he needs is a break so he can go do other business other than this stupid—"

"Hi, Erwin here. Please excuse my assistant. You've caught her on a bad day." Erwin interrupted, smoothly, grabbing Freida's earpiece and placed it in his own ear. Freida glared at him and flipped her hair in defiance. Erwin rolled his eyes as he realized that the person on the other line was someone Freida needed to be rude to.

"Oh, Dok, it's you." Erwin sighed, annoyed. Freida flashed him a victorious look and he glared at her as he motioned for her to go back to her desk.

Freida gestured to her phone in his hand and the earpiece in his ear, and Erwin sighed.

He placed a hand on the mouthpiece of her phone and whispered, "Transfer the call into my office, please."

He noticed the hesitant and concerned look she gave him and he gave her a reassuring smile, "I'm not leaving."

Freida sighed and nodded. Erwin thanked her by giving a quick kiss on her cheek before disappearing into his office.

His phone rang and he picked it up, swiftly, "Why are you calling me?"

"I can't say hi?" Nile stated, sarcastically, on the other line.

Erwin resisted the urge to chew the man out and he took a deep breath before answering Nile.

"Listen, if it's the High Commander, tell him that I don't plan on reinstating anything." Erwin stated, seriously.

"I'm not calling because of the Army, Erwin." Nile sighed.

"Then?"

"I'm calling because I'm actually concerned about you and your family. Happy?" Nile growled on the other line.

Erwin blinked, not believing the words that were said.

"You're serious?" Erwin asked, in disbelief.

"…Listen, I know it's partly my fault that I manipulated Elyse and you when it came to getting you back into the Army. I care, okay? I know what it's like to have a family, believe it or not. Save your smart remarks of me and my divorce, Erwin. I'm trying to be sincere here." Nile stated, quickly in warning.

Erwin had to muffle a chuckle at that as he couldn't believe his ears.

"Well…what do you want to know?" Erwin asked, trying to suppress another smirk at the sound of Nile's sharp intake.

"I…How is Elyse?" Nile asked, warily.

Erwin smiled at the sound of his wife's name. For some odd reason, every single time she was mentioned or thought of, Erwin would relax. It was as if he finally found his safe zone, his comfort zone.

"She's fine. We're fine." Erwin offered, trying to be careful with his words. Dok might be offering an olive branch, but Erwin was not so willing just yet.

Nile seemed to be content with what he said as Nile hummed in satisfaction.

"I saw your speeches. Marie did, too. She's happy for you guys." Nile offered, trying to not be stiff.

Erwin flinched at the sound of Marie's name. Well, that was an unpleasant crash from what his warm thoughts of his wife.

"I see. Send my regards to her." Erwin offered, softly.

"…She's sorry, Erwin. For everything. How things ended. How they began." Nile managed to say.

Erwin didn't say anything. Nile must've thought that the conversation was over so he sighed and gave a curt well wish and a goodbye.

"Nile, wait." Erwin stated, before Nile could hang up.

Nile didn't hang up, and Erwin took a deep breath.

"When…when you tried to fix your marriage, what did you do?" Erwin asked, trying hard to sound sincere rather than harsh.

"...Well, our problems came from multiple things. My past, her past. It didn't help that we were stressed about the fact that our daughters would see that we weren't okay, so there was that. We would lie and play pretend in front of them which made it ten times worse when we were alone. We became strangers. There was no communication between us, and we had decided that living a façade was poison to not only us but to our daughters." Nile stated, simply.

"…Do you sometimes believe that…that you could've fixed it?" Erwin asked, rubbing his eyes, trying to remain calm.

"We did try to fix it. I took her out and we would have dinner. We would go to therapy, but it seemed that it made it worse. At the end of it all, we just realized we weren't good together. I was still stuck with the idea of Marie. She was stuck on the fact that she had a planned life that didn't include me. It was enough for both us to realize that enough was enough."

"So, saving your marriage for your daughters wasn't enough?" Erwin asked, feeling a bit exasperated.

"…Let me ask you this, Erwin. If you came home one day, and you felt empty inside as you looked at your wife, who has this pasted smile on her face that doesn't meet her eyes, and your daughters, who are studying your every move, questioning as to why they hear yelling at night. Why we weren't like Uncle Erwin and Aunt Elyse. What would your reaction be?"

"….I'm sorry, Nile. I didn't mean to dig that deep." Erwin apologized, feeling the pain that Nile must've experienced.

"Everything happens for a reason, Erwin. I'm with the person I'm meant to be with. Regan is happy than she was before. Our daughters are more relaxed and happy." Nile stated with a sigh.

"I'm happy for you." Erwin offered, lamely.

Nile scoffed on the other line, and it went quiet for a moment.

Erwin was about to say goodbye until Nile interrupted him.

"That night I talked to Elyse about you, she was defensive, angry, and sad."

Erwin sighed, remembering that night. It was the night they had…been intimate and then the next day, headlines of her and Braun kissing were everywhere in the European hemisphere.

"Sounds about right." Erwin sighed, rubbing his neck now.

"You don't get it, Erwin. When I say those things, I had been talking about your past. About how horrible you were supposedly to Marie. Elyse was in denial. She couldn't believe that you would do that to someone, and the hurt in her eyes….it was unbearable, to say the least. I almost dropped my plan right there and then." Nile offered, gently.

Erwin widened his eyes and his heart began to clench at the thought of Elyse's fervent defense of him.

"Thanks, Dok." Erwin sighed, racking his brain of what to do about this information.

"Sure, Smith. Piece of advice. I don't think she'll deny your offer for a date if you asked." Nile stated.

Before Erwin could question Nile, the sound of Nile hanging up met him in return.

Erwin rolled his eyes, but he had a small smile on his face as he hung up his phone.

He dialed a number, and he thought of the plans he had to do with an ambitious light in his eyes.

* * *

Elyse knew that the sound of Erwin coming home was music to their kids' ears. The sound of Erwin opening the door and his heavy footsteps had the kids getting up and running for the front door. Elyse smiled at the sound of the shrieking as she cleaned the dining room table to get ready for dinner.

She liked the fact that they can now be a real-life family without the need of help, and she ignored the empty feeling that she had moments earlier.

She was determined to not let it get her down.

She waited for them to get into the dining room and she laughed as she saw the two boys hanging off Erwin's legs and Mikasa hanging onto his neck as he held onto her with his one arm.

Elyse raised an eyebrow though as the weird placement of Erwin's other arm. He was definitely hiding something, and the clear look of 'help me' on his face was a guarantee that he was uncomfortable with his position.

"Let go of your dad, Eren, Armin. Mikasa, come here." Elyse held her arms out for Mikasa and Mikasa willingly let go of Erwin as she jumped into Elyse's arms.

Elyse looked down to check if Eren and Armin let go of Erwin's legs and once she noticed they did, she looked up and was ambushed with a huge bouquet of white roses in her face.

"Surprise!" The kids screamed, and Elyse had to cover one ear as Mikasa literally screamed her ear off.

Elyse raised her eyebrows in surprise and laughed, pleasantly, as Erwin handed her the bouquet.

"What's this for?" Elyse asked, softly and in awe.

"I never got to hand you a personal one all these years." Erwin replied, his soft gaze and smile made Elyse's heart skip a beat.

"You having flowers around the Estate was enough." Elyse insisted, still in awe at how beautiful the roses were.

"Well, get used to it, Elyse." Erwin sighed, tucking a stray hair into the back of her ear. Elyse looked up then, a blush that represented her shyness sprinkled her cheeks. Erwin's smile got wider and he bent down to press a chaste kiss on her lips.

Elyse was more than willing to sink into it.

"Ew!" Mikasa yelped in her mom's arms, and Erwin broke it off with a chuckle.

"Come here, you little maus." Erwin chided, grabbing his daughter to tickle her. Elyse watched the scene unfold and she bent down with the bouquet in her arms to show her boys.

The empty feeling seemed to lessen. Just a bit.

* * *

Elyse went downstairs to check to see if she had washed the dishes. She knew that she must've forgotten some because of Eren falling asleep at the table. He had joined so many sports that Elyse felt bad for her tuckered-out kid. Armin seemed to have the same idea as he soon was falling fast asleep, and Elyse had shot a glare at Erwin for that and he shrugged apologetically. She knew that Armin would sneak out of bed to read with his father at night, and Elyse had caught them once in Erwin's office since she had heard voices.

She had been adamant about Armin going to sleep or he wouldn't be able to learn in school. _That_ had Armin horrified, and Erwin apologetic.

Mikasa was the one who was still hyperactive and awake compared to her brothers, so that one took awhile to be put to sleep.

Elyse knew that Mikasa did almost _everything_ for her age. When Dieter had been around, it was him chauffeuring her everywhere: to her violin lesson, ballet lesson, figure skating lesson, tennis lesson, and _hockey_ lesson. Elyse wouldn't let her daughter do so much if her grades were a problem, but Mikasa showed no lack of hard work in there either.

Elyse didn't even do _that_ much when she was six even when her father had forced her to be tutored about almost everything.

Elyse was so into her thoughts, she didn't realize that she had walked into a dimly lit living room. She looked around, confused, and she spotted the source of her confusion in front of the fireplace.

She raised an eyebrow at him, walking towards him slowly.

Erwin was giving her a small smile, holding out a wine glass for her and she took it, gratefully. She took a sip before she asked him her question.

"What is this?" Elyse asked, his smile contagious.

Erwin took her glass out of her hand and he placed it on the fireplace's top. He pressed a button somewhere, and Elyse could hear a gorgeous orchestra playing Yo-Yo Ma's cello compositions, one of her favorites, drifting in the room.

When were there speakers in the living room?

Before she could say anything, Erwin offered her his hand and she gingerly accepted it, keeping a curious gaze on him.

He pulled her in a simple embrace, one that they would have on a ballroom floor, and she could feel herself floating across the room.

She gasped, pleasantly surprised at his ability to actually glide.

"When did you learn?" Elyse asked, softly.

Erwin chuckled, and his warm breath that touched her ear made her slightly shiver at how close they were.

"I got quick lessons from someone." Erwin replied in amusement.

"Oh, no, was it Freida?" Elyse asked, in an apologetic tone.

Freida was a beautiful and talented dancer, but when it came to teaching, she became a dictator that Elyse had to witness first-hand. A couple of kids had quit due to Freida's no-nonsense teaching.

Erwin spun her around then, and when he brought her back to him, he laughed.

"She's not bad, Elyse. Compared to how I used to train my cadets, I would say she's gentle." Erwin promised, and Elyse couldn't help but laugh at that.

The music was soothing, and Elyse closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment being in Erwin's gentle hold as they danced in the living room.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed that Erwin had moved them from the living room to the dance studio. Only this time, Elyse had pulled away from him in awe at her surroundings.

The room was dimly lit as well, but by lights that hung from the ceiling. The mirrors were draped with pale, pastel-colored curtain. In the middle of the room, there was a small table set up and Elyse gasped at how there was already wine poured out for them, and on that table, she eyed something that immediately took her interest.

"What is this?" Elyse asked, walking towards the table to touch the velvet case that awaited her.

"Open it." Erwin's voice encouraged from behind her.

Elyse obeyed, and she gasped when she opened it. Tickets, a gorgeous necklace, and a charm of ballet shoes.

Tickets…

Elyse's eyes widened as she whipped around to face Erwin.

"…New York City? The ballet in New York City, Erwin?" Elyse asked, breathlessly, memories of her schooling and learning occasionally with the talented company that stayed there.

Erwin walked towards her, taking her soft hands in his.

"I figured that we have two weeks to unwind before we get into theatre business again. I thought it would be good for the both of us and to show the kids where we met and such, where their mother has a part of her heart." Erwin teased, placing a hand to cradle the side of her face.

Elyse could feel her heart bursting at the seams as she closed her eyes and leaned into his welcoming warmth. She didn't realize that a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

"Elyse…"Erwin trailed off, concerned. Elyse laughed, wiping the tear away.

"I'm just really touched, Erwin. This is really…wow." Elyse sighed, looking down at the tickets and necklace and charm.

"I…I want to do this right. I want to…date you." Erwin mumbled, and Elyse had to strain to hear his words.

"Date?" Elyse asked, confused.

Erwin looked at her then, and Elyse couldn't help but laugh. For once, Erwin was flustered instead of her.

"We haven't had a normal thing going, and I know that we have started this whole, 'we finally know that we love each other, but what do we do about it since we have all this complicated issues between us', so I thought it best to start all over. You, me, and the kids. I know it's not ideal because, you know, kids, but I think it makes it better because—"

Elyse didn't let him finish. He had been so wrapped up in his ramblings that Elyse had time to shut the velvet box and tiptoe. She placed her lips on his, and she smiled when Erwin gave a small moan at how close she was.

The kiss lasted for a moment, and Elyse broke it off as she landed on the balls of her feet.

"Let's date, then." Elyse said, simply. Erwin chuckled, placing both his hands on her face.

"I can't wait to start."

* * *

The kids were overly excited to travel to New York City. When Erwin and Elyse had sat them down at breakfast one morning to explain that they'll be taking a break from school which didn't mean that they should be slacking with their homework, the kids were just begging for them to get to the part in where they'll be traveling.

Elyse smiled when Erwin told them about what the travel will entail. The kids were already up and about to go to school to tell all their friends about it.

With a sigh, Elyse went upstairs to see what she could pack for the kids, but Erwin stopped her.

"You're the one who told me not to spoil them." Erwin chided.

Elyse rolled her eyes at him, "They're six, Erwin. They have no idea how to pack."

Erwin shrugged at that, "Let them learn. Let them pack first and then we could go and check what they packed and teach them as we take out unnecessary stuffed animals and replace them with actual clothes."

Elyse laughed at that, but she nodded in agreement.

"Fine. You're right." Elyse sighed.

"I'm sorry? What did you say? I couldn't hear you?" Erwin prompted, taking her in his arms now.

Elyse punched him playfully in his chest, "I said, you're right."

Erwin smiled down at her, and Elyse was more than willing to close the gap between them.

* * *

Erwin proved her wrong once more.

The kids were doing pretty okay with packing, much to Elyse's surprise.

Granted, there were some things that they wouldn't need for the trip like Eren's soccer kleets and Armin's telescope. Mikasa was always the ready one, but Elyse spotted her packing a ballet tutu secretly. At the end of the day, Erwin had relented with Eren bringing his soccer kleets and Armin bringing his telescope, so Elyse was smug for the rest of the time they were packing.

Once the kids were done, Elyse had gone to her room to pack and as she began to finish, Erwin knocked on the side of her open doorway.

She looked up, smugly, "How may I help you, sweetie?"

Erwin shot a warning glare at her, and she still smiled, prettily.

"The company called an emergency board meeting. So, I'm just letting you know that I'll be missing dinner." Erwin replied, with a tired groan.

Elyse raised an eyebrow in surprise, "That's sudden. Is everything okay?"

Erwin shrugged, "It's just the usual voting drama. Mr. Engle wants this. Mrs. Beaufort doesn't agree. The usual."

Elyse gave him a sympathetic look and she walked towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and Erwin immediately melted in her embrace. She began to massage the back of his neck as she looked at him.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I would join…" Elyse trailed off at that, an idea popping in her head.

Erwin looked at her, concerned, and before he could open his mouth, Elyse's eyes brightened which silenced him.

"I should join you for the meeting. Help you out." Elyse stated, excitedly.

Erwin seemed to sigh at that as he slumped just a bit, "Elyse, the kids—"

"The kids can be watched by Freida in your office. Besides, your office is big enough for them to play in. We'll bring whatever they need like their homework. Besides, I miss Freida, so we can all just get dinner later."

"Elyse, board meetings don't end early."

"And? We'll be having late nights in New York anyways. Might as well have the kids get used to it." Elyse said, letting go of Erwin so she could walk towards the kids' room to tell them.

Erwin stopped her, and she turned around, expectantly.

"Elyse…you are the owner of the company alongside your brother, but I hope you know that we'll be talking about decisions that may not be in your line of knowledge…"

"So, you're saying I'll be bored then." Elyse stated, amused at Erwin's lingo as he tried to explain.

Erwin sighed, "Yes."

Elyse giggled, placing a quick kiss on his cheek before evading his grasp, "You said that there's drama, sweetie. Our whole lives are attuned to that."

With that said, she gave him a wink and walked to the kids' room to tell them the news.

* * *

The board were astounded.

Not only did they watch the daughter of the late owner walk in, but she was actually offering advice when it came to dealing with voting at a board meeting.

Elyse was standing in front of the board member, her demeanor sweet yet serious. Erwin was sitting at the other end of the table, watching his wife with an amused smile.

A board member raised a hand, hesitantly, and Elyse called on the person, "Yes, Mr. Engle?"

"…Are you really lecturing us on how to be polite, Miss Elyse?" Mr. Engle's usual hardened voice had a surprise tone in it.

"Yes, Mr. Engle. I know that I'm a stranger when it comes to whatever you all discuss about, but if my husband has to be called out one more time when it comes to family dinners, I'll be calling your wife and telling her all about how you take my husband's time away." Elyse stated, sweetly.

Erwin muffled a chuckle in the palm of his hand.

"Now, where did I leave off?" Elyse continued, secretly trading smiles with Erwin, who in turn, winked at her.

While Erwin was busy discussing something with the other board members outside his office.

* * *

Elyse walked in Erwin's office, ready to be ambushed by Freida.

Instead, she was greeted by a furious Freida.

"What do you think you're doing, Elyse?" Freida asked, exasperated.

Elyse blinked, her held out arms still at the same spot.

"What do you mean?" Elyse asked, surprised.

"What did I tell you about dramatic entrances? You're supposed to look fabulous, not simple. Your dress is not up to par." Freida groused, dramatically.

Elyse got over her surprise and crossed her arms, rolling her eyes at her best friend.

"Are you serious, Freida?"

"Yes, I am. The board is full of desperate women who don't get laid and want your scrumptious husband to themselves, and you just go in to lecture them on how to be polite? No, Elyse, you slam the door open then you tell those cougars off and then make out with your husband hardcore." Freida said, demonstrating it disturbingly on a couch cushion.

Elyse didn't even bother to respond as she grabbed a couch cushion and threw it at her. But, before she could, she noticed that her kids were sleeping on the couch.

That explained the silence.

She smiled, warmly, at them, and Freida even paused to see what Elyse was seeing.

"So…" Freida trailed off, getting Elyse's attention.

Elyse looked at her, her eyes narrowed in warning. Freida laughed, and wrapped an arm around Elyse's waist to hug her and to lead her to Erwin's desk so they could sit. Elyse sat in Erwin's comfortable, leather chair while Freida sat on one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"So what?" Elyse asked, giving Freida an empty glass from Erwin's desk.

Freida accepted it, gratefully, and she grabbed a bottle of whiskey from Erwin's mini-liquor cart on the side of his desk. Elyse raised an eyebrow at her while Freida poured herself a glass for both of them.

"Listen, your children are still a handful." Freida groused, and Elyse smiled at that.

After a moment passed, Freida placed down the glass with a satisfied sigh.

"So, you and Erwin." Freida stated, and that's all it took for Elyse to laugh out loud.

"What about us?" Elyse asked, softly. The sight of Freida smiling so widely at her made Elyse happy.

"Finally." Freida stated with a sigh, sipping on her drink.

"He wants to date now. Like, actually take me out and get to know each other and such." Elyse sighed, happily, remembering the memory of how he brought it up.

"Talk about backwards." Freida teased. Elyse laughed in return, but she frowned for just a moment before realizing she had been frowning, Freida had noticed it.

"What's wrong?" Freida asked, seriously.

"…Sometime, I feel like there's something wrong. I don't understand though. We've admitted that we love each other, and we've been affectionate. Granted, we haven't been…intimate since..."

"The baby?" Freida prompted, gently.

Elyse nodded, her eyes beginning to tear.

"Have you been going to therapy?" Freida asked, gently.

"I have, and so has Erwin, but we go separately and we have different therapists. I've been thinking that we should go to couples therapy, but is that normal for happy couples?" Elyse asked, sighing.

Freida leaned forward, and took Elyse's hand, "Oh, sweetie, of course, it's normal! Just because you both said you love each other doesn't erase the fact that you had problems way before."

"…I'm scared that he'll say no. That he might be happy, and I'm the one that's having these weird, empty feelings from time to time." Elyse whispered, scared.

Freida stroked Elyse's hand, gently, before looking up to respond, "Erwin loves you, Elyse. Even before he knew it, he loved you."

"But, what if it isn't enough? What if he leaves again, the moment I tell him that I'm unhappy?" Elyse asked, suddenly finding realization to the empty feelings inside of her.

She was scared. Scared of everything that entail a future with Erwin. The problems they once had were so deeply rooted inside of her that she had been trying to wave it off without trying to confront it.

"That's why you need to tell him, Elyse." Freida stated, seriously.

Elyse nodded, swallowing her drink whole.

* * *

Elyse relaxed in her seat as she looked out the window of the private jet. Erwin was sitting in front of her with a magazine on his lap and a glass of whiskey in his cup holder. Eren was sleeping on his chest, and Elyse smiled when Erwin brushed a stray hair off his son's face before he went back to reading.

Mikasa and Armin was across from them in their own seats, looking out the window and chatting, excitedly.

Elyse was about to fall asleep to the noises, but Erwin's foot nudged her and she opened her eyes.

He carefully sat up, his hand on Eren's body so he didn't fall, and placed the magazine on her lap. She picked it up, curiously, and she laughed when she saw one of the headlines, 'Parisian Beauty, Elyse Jaeger-Ackerman Smith, Visiting New York City With Business Mogul Husband, Erwin Smith, And Children.'

She groaned, giving back the magazine to Erwin, carefully avoiding her son's limbs.

"Be forewarned." Erwin teased, and Elyse rolled her eyes. She glanced behind her shoulder and she noticed that the bodyguards that Erwin had assigned were stiff and unfamiliar.

She immediately missed Dieter, but he was off enjoying his life with a certain former assistant of Erwin. Oh, the irony. She knew that he deserved a break. Hell, he definitely did, but that didn't mean she didn't miss him.

"He'll be back soon. I hear there might be an addition to the house we built for him." Erwin said, making her whip around to face him.

She narrowed her eyes at him, showing her taken aback surprise.

"You really need to stop doing that." Elyse groused, relaxing in her chair and refusing to acknowledge her husband's smug look from across.

* * *

New York City was noisy.

Noisier than she remembered.

But, then again, she wasn't used to so much press shouting her name as she shielded her children's faces and her own. The bodyguards were doing their best, and so was Erwin as he had a protective arm around her and the kids.

Once they got in the car, Elyse sighed in relief.

Erwin groaned in annoyance, "I forgot how relentless the press is here."

Elyse shrugged, "There's nothing you can do about it, Erwin. Besides, we're fine." Erwin nodded, but she noticed that he was still a bit tense.

She placed a comforting hand on his clenched fists and a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Relax, okay? I'm fine. The kids are fine." Elyse assured him, snuggling close to him as he relented and wrapped an arm around her. The kids had instantly fell back asleep once they got in the car since they were still tired.

Elyse sighed in content as Erwin placed a kiss on her forehead, his stubble slightly scratching her but it comforted her.

It was time to enjoy her time here and to relax. It was time to figure out everything with the man beside her, and possibly end the emptiness in her chest.

* * *

A:N/ Enjoy! Love you all.


	32. Chapter 32

A:N/ Thank you all for your love!

Elyse belongs to me, and the others need a vacation.

* * *

The trip to New York City was great. The kids were everywhere whenever they walked outside, and Elyse was grateful for the stoic bodyguards even though they weren't Dieter. She held their kids' hands as Erwin held them, too, talking about her career.

They already attended a show with the New York Ballet Company, and Mikasa was more than ecstatic to practice with her mom as Elyse taught a sudden workshop there. Erwin and the boys had watched and Armin even joined at some point, excitedly. Eren was the one who was too shy to try, and Elyse had understood. Eren wasn't exactly as graceful as the others.

Eren was more than interested when they visited museums. He had excitedly ran everywhere when they went to the MET, and Elyse had to chase him everywhere while Erwin had the calm, excited ones like Armin and Mikasa. Armin, though, had given up behaving and joined Eren in running everywhere.

The penthouse that Erwin got them was at the Upper West Side of Manhattan which was close to the David Koch Theater where the NYC Ballet resided, and Elyse felt excited.

As the kids began to ran around to play in the penthouse that looked over Central Park, Elyse sighed in happiness as she looked out the beautiful glass windows.

Spring weather painted New York City with its bright flowers and laughter amidst all the yelling.

Elyse had indeed left a part of her heart here.

Strong arms wrapped around her midsection and Elyse had stiffened for a moment before melting in the embrace. They were like that for a moment, appreciating the squealing of their kids in the background and the beautiful view in front of them.

"Did I surprise you?" Erwin murmured in her ear, and Elyse smiled, sheepishly, glad that he couldn't see her face.

"More like I'm not used to this." Elyse admitted, turning around to face him. Erwin smiled reassuringly at her as he brushed his thumb against her cheek.

"A seven hour and thirty-minute day of running after kids, yet you still look beautiful." Erwin mused, and Elyse pushed his chest, playfully.

"Do you want something, Erwin? Flattery will get you nowhere." Elyse chided, playfully. Erwin feigned a wounded look as he placed a hand on his chest in a mocking gesture.

"I was hoping it would get me somewhere." Erwin sighed, dramatically.

Elyse rolled her eyes, and she crossed her arms, jutting her chin out, challenging.

"Oh? And where did you think it would take you?" Elyse asked, trying to hide the curious tone with a challenging one.

"A date. Our first date." Erwin stated, his eyes sparkling as he got something out of his suit jacket.

Elyse's eyes widened as she saw what was in his hands.

"…Our first date has to do with Metro cards?" Elyse asked, surprised.

Erwin gave her a mysterious smile and the nostalgic feeling of how he was unreadable made Elyse uncomfortable before she decided to push it down, reminding herself that Erwin and her were not the same as before.

"You'll see." Erwin assured her, placing a kiss on her forehead before turning to check on their children.

Elyse watched his backside disappear, silently trying to calm her beating heart.

 _We're different people now, Elyse. Remember that._

* * *

Elyse laughed. She laughed until she couldn't breathe.

She had been getting ready for the date, which was still a mystery even when Erwin had popped his head in her room to tell her to dress casually.

When she looked at her black turtleneck sweater paired with a belted midi-skirt, Elyse decided to tie her long hair up in a ponytail due to not getting the chance to shower yet. Her makeup was simple, and so were her black ballerina flats since she guessed they were going to be mostly walking because of the Metro Cards.

She walked out into the living room area, ready to ask Erwin about how would the bodyguards even entertain the kids if they were simply security. What she saw made her jaw drop.

Her sleeping brother was busy getting his face drawn on by his niece. Eren and Armin were the ones who were trying to stop her, but Mikasa was adamant, muttering something about her uncle being annoying.

Petra was talking to Erwin by the mini-bar in the kitchen, and considering the wall that was blocking their view of the kids, Elyse knew they couldn't see what was going on.

Elyse whipped her phone out, immediately, and proceeded to take a picture. She forgot that she had turned her flash on, which managed to wake her brother up.

Levi narrowed his eyes in confusion as he woke up to Mikasa with her hand suspended in the air and a black marker…

He put two and two together instantly and got up. Elyse immediately placed a hand on her mouth to hide the smile that was forming on her mouth especially when her brother saw his reflection through the mirror down the hall.

"MIKASA."

That's when Elyse laughed.

Elyse placed a soothing kiss on her daughter's head after her uncle screamed at her. Mikasa, oblivious and unshaken, stared up at her uncle and pointed out that she wanted to finish her "drawing." Erwin and Petra had run into the living room and they were immediately amused at the sight. Erwin had saw that Elyse placed a kiss on their daughter's forehead and he gave her a scolding glare which Elyse returned.

But, she sighed and made Mikasa face her.

"You don't draw on people's faces, Mikasa. Especially your uncle's." Elyse scolded, touching her daughter's nose with her index finger.

Mikasa began to pout, but Elyse was adamant.

"Would you like for me to draw on your face whenever I wanted? I would draw a monster on your face and you would like that?" Elyse prodded.

Mikasa glared for a minute, but she shook her head slowly.

"Why did you draw on your uncle's face?" Elyse asked, gently, knowing fully well that her daughter must have had an agenda.

Mikasa didn't after a moment, and she looked at her father for help. Erwin shook his head, much to Elyse's triumph.

"You look at your mother when she's talking to you, Mikasa." Erwin stated, seriously. His tone was much harsher than Elyse's and Mikasa relented and turned back to her mother.

"Come on, sweetie. I know that you wouldn't just do that for fun." Elyse sighed, brushing a stray hair away.

"…He didn't visit us, so when he came today, I thought that drawing on his face would make him stay with us a bit." Mikasa finally explained, looking down at her feet.

Elyse's heart warmed at that, and she looked up to glare at her brother, who had been angry, but now that he had heard his niece's words, he looked very guilty.

"That doesn't make people stay, Mikasa. That just makes them hurt and angry. You don't get to make decision for other people's choices, darling." Elyse explained, looking deeply into Mikasa's dark grey eyes.

The words even resonated with her and Elyse could feel Erwin's stare on her.

"Okay, mama." Mikasa whispered. She turned around to face her uncle, and Levi was already bent down, ready for her approach.

"I'm sorry that I drew a pirate on your face, Uncle Levi." Mikasa apologized, softly. Levi merely gave an amused sound in response and he gathered her in his arms, patting her head.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been around. But, don't worry, I'll be around much more often." Levi apologized in return. Mikasa looked up at him in surprise and Eren and Armin also looked excited at their Uncle's announcement.

Petra cleared her throat then, and Levi nodded and stood up, still holding Mikasa against him.

"We're going to be your babysitters when your parents go and do adult things!" Petra announced, clearly trying to find the right words to say in front of the kids.

"Adult things?" Erwin had whispered in question and amusement. He was silenced by Petra's quick glare, and he raised his hands in surrender.

"Really?" Armin asked, running towards his mother's legs to hug them. Elyse laughed and shrugged, "I honestly don't know, sweetie. _My_ brother obviously talked to your father besides me." Elyse replied, hiding a menacing smile.

Erwin shot her an apologetic look, but Elyse ignored it, shoving the disappointment down.

Here she was explaining to Mikasa not to do things on her own, and her father was doing the complete opposite.

"Well, now that's established. I guess we can go now, huh?" Elyse asked, her fake cheer shown clearly to the adults in the room. The kids were busy clamoring around their uncle that they didn't realize the tension in the room.

"Elyse…" Levi trailed off in warning. That annoyed Elyse.

She shot an annoyed glare at her brother, and he didn't even bother to fight her back. Instead, he shot her an apologetic look.

Elyse relaxed then, noticing how spiteful she was being when it was supposed to be a good reunion between her and her brother.

Even though it was a surprise on her part.

She tiptoed around the children to hug her brother and kiss his cheeks. She did the same to Petra. As she bent down to say goodbye to the children, Elyse noticed that Erwin had done the same. So, when the kids went to him, Erwin snuck a glance at her, Elyse tried not to return it.

* * *

They didn't have a door. Instead, they had a private elevator that had its own personal attendant, so Elyse was glad that she didn't have to look in Erwin's way until maybe the car ride.

When they entered the elevator, Elyse began to mentally prepare herself for the argument that Erwin and her were going to have when they got out of the elevator.

"Elyse." Erwin's voice interrupted her thoughts and she was placed back into reality.

She bit her lip. Okay, so the argument was going to be earlier than expected.

She was about to open her mouth until Erwin grabbed her hands and that silenced her in surprise, and, well, embarrassment, knowing fully well that they were not alone.

"I'm sorry for not letting you know about your brother coming over. I honestly thought it would be a nice surprise, you know? I didn't think you would think that I went behind your back again." Erwin apologized, and Elyse blinked, taken aback.

He apologized so profusely and meaningfully that Elyse was in shock. Her arguments rested in her head, and all she wanted to do was kiss his apologetic gaze away.

The elevator attendant was trying very hard not to look in their direction.

So, Elyse decided to just give him a reassuring smile instead.

"Okay, I believe you."

And Elyse knew that Erwin needed to hear that as she saw the relief on his face.

* * *

"We're walking?" Elyse asked, indecorously. Erwin smiled at her, and he grabbed her hand. Elyse found it easy to intertwine their fingers as she looked at him, confused.

"Of course we are." Erwin replied, easily, pulling her forward so they could start walking.

"But…press!" Elyse whispered, fervently, her eyes darting back and forth, hoping that they wouldn't get ambushed.

"Someone may have tipped them off that we would be attending _Hamilton_." Erwin said, with a chuckle.

"Are we?!" Elyse asked, excitedly.

Erwin rolled his eyes at her and he pulled her closer to him as Elyse finally relented and began to walk next to him.

"No, Elyse. We're going to see that with the kids. This is our alone time, and I don't want to squander what we have of this night." Erwin explained, placing a quick kiss on her forehead.

Elyse couldn't help but warm a bit at his words, and she watched as people would look at them, giggling and whispering. Elyse looked up at her husband's chiseled jaw and she couldn't help but feel a rush of pride as he looked down at her with an affectionate gaze.

"What?" Erwin asked, teasingly.

"Kiss me." Elyse demanded, her smile turning mischievous.

Erwin didn't hesitate.

* * *

They were actually on the subway. Elyse looked around nervously, clutching onto Erwin's shirt. Erwin was holding on to one of the handle bars and Elyse was glad that her husband was as heavy as a tree trunk.

His large hand was placed on the small of her back as they hit another bump, and Elyse relaxed, placing her head on his chest.

"Hey, look to the right." Erwin whispered in her ear. Elyse did.

All she saw was the corner of a normal subway filled with people.

"Remember that area?" Erwin asked, his lips now on her forehead. Elyse looked up, confused, and she shook her head.

"That's where we met." Erwin stated, nonchalantly. Elyse looked at him in disbelief.

"How are you so sure?" Elyse asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Erwin shrugged, "I just do." The mischief in his eyes gave him away.

"Oh, you're so full of it." Elyse laughed, pushing his chest. Erwin laughed in return, holding her tightly against him.

"It doesn't matter anyways. We met on a subway, and I will be forever grateful that we did." Erwin whispered in her hair.

Elyse was glad that he couldn't see her red face as she smiled, widely, burying her head in his chest.

* * *

Elyse's eyebrows raised when she realized where they were walking to.

"Julliard, really?" Elyse asked, giggling, but she let go of his arm then. She ran to the Lincoln Center and gasped when she saw the lights that had once welcomed her home. The people were chattering away, and she reveled in the noise.

Erwin caught up with her after a moment, and she turned to him, her smile wide.

"So? You want to talk about how cliché this is or…?" Elyse teased, pulling on his arm.

Erwin didn't say anything. Instead, he smiled down at her, and he pulled her into a hug even if her head was turned away from him as she still stared at everything around her.

"I want to talk more about you. About how you love this city and then you had to leave it for me." Erwin said, and Elyse could feel his gaze on her.

She turned to look at him in surprise.

She saw a small smile on his lips, but she noticed the guilt in his eyes as he looked at her. She placed a hand on his cheek, and she stroked it, gently.

"Is this what this is? You feel guilty that you took this away from me?" Elyse asked, softly.

Erwin immediately shook his head.

"No…No, I mean…maybe a little. I've been thinking about our past, you know? How it all started wrong, and I just feel…maybe if I could correct this by revisiting everything with you…I don't know, this is probably idiotic—"

Erwin was cut off by Elyse's soft laughter.

He looked down at her, unsure. She looked back, warmly.

"So cliché, Erwin." Elyse teased, "I thought we talked about how the past is the past. You're right. You may have taken this away from me, but…I'm happy now. I'm happy that we got back and you're doing this. We have the kids with us, so that's even more exciting."

Erwin seemed surprised at first, but then he softened. He bent down and placed his forehead on hers, and Elyse tweaked his nose in response.

"You never stop surprising me, Elyse." Erwin sighed.

"Same goes to you, Mr. Dramatic." Elyse replied, kissing his forehead.

* * *

The restaurant that Erwin chose for them was right next to Julliard, and Elyse smiled at the sight of her old school.

She could still hear violins being played outside a dorm window if the restaurant's window wasn't there.

They had ordered, so Elyse was so busy staring out the window that she snapped back into reality when Erwin grabbed her hand to trace over her wedding band and engagement ring.

"I want to get you a new one." Erwin suddenly said, and Elyse raised an eyebrow at that.

"Why is that?" Elyse asked, watching as Erwin's long fingers traced over the silver on her hand.

"A fresh start. Something that doesn't remind us of what happened in the past." Erwin explained with a sigh.

Elyse tilted her head to the side, and that caught Erwin's gaze. She noticed that he paused when he saw the small smile on her lips.

"I don't want to change anything." Elyse replied, her own fingers finding his own wedding band. The emblem of the Army he had held dear felt good against her senses.

"Why not?" Erwin asked, confused.

"We're where we are because of what happened between us. It hurt, and it was terrible, but we're here _now_. I fell in love with you through it all, Erwin, and that's what makes me want to…embrace what we had before this." Elyse explained, gently.

Erwin's gaze softened for a moment, and a smile graced his features as he brought her hand to his lips. His lips grazed against the coolness of her rings, and Elyse shivered a bit.

Their waiter came back to their table, and Elyse swallowed when Erwin had to let go of her hand as their food was placed on the table. She watched a Erwin talked to the waiter, and she studied the tenseness of his neck and his jaw.

She felt something pricking at her in the back of her mind. She knew that the assurance she gave him was…sentimental and heartfelt, but…

Words were just words at the end of the day, weren't they?

She looked down at her food, and she forced herself to feel hungry even all she wanted to do was vomit.

She lied through her teeth, and Erwin…he read right through her.

* * *

The show that they watched in the Lincoln Center was utterly breathtaking, and Elyse found herself swept away from reality at that moment. Erwin's hand found hers in the middle of the show, and Elyse caressed the callous on his large hand as she watched the show.

She could tell that he would glance at her from time to time, but Elyse didn't want to talk just yet.

He knew he was waiting for her.

* * *

The subway ride back to the penthouse was quiet, and when they began to walk, Elyse was more than willing to get away from him for now.

Until a hand stopped her before they entered their building.

Elyse turned around, hesitantly, and she noticed that Erwin was looking at her carefully. He was studying her, and Elyse felt guilt rise within her.

He couldn't read her anymore, and Elyse knew that it was supposed to make her feel victorious, but instead, she felt horrible.

She loved the man, and this wasn't fair anymore to him.

"What are you hiding, Elyse?" Erwin finally asked, his voice hard and slightly demanding.

Elyse flinched at that, and she tried to look away from him, but she found that she couldn't. Erwin didn't walk towards her. Instead, he left the gap between them as he let go of her arm and took a step back. He placed his hands in his pocket, and Elyse realized that he was guarding himself from she was about to say.

"Erwin...I'm sorry." Elyse apologized, not knowing what to say.

Erwin didn't say anything. Instead, he waited.

Elyse fidgeted with her hands, playing with her rings, and Erwin seemed to notice that.

"Have you been lying about what you feel? Do you feel forced to—"

"No!" Elyse quickly interrupted, her voice raising a bit, and the people who were walking around them looked at her, weirdly, but she didn't care.

Erwin raised an eyebrow at her, and he seemed to relax at her interruption just a bit.

He took a careful step towards her, but it was Elyse's turn to step back. Erwin seemed taken aback at that, but he remained still.

"Elyse…talk to me." Erwin prompted, gently. Elyse felt tears threating to fall down her cheeks, and she tried to blink them away.

One tear betrayed her, and immediately, Elyse wiped it away, but Erwin caught it.

His careful stance turned into a concerned one as he took one step towards her, and his arm slowly extending towards her.

Elyse began to cry then, every feeling she's been trying to hide since everything began to pile up for them.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me." Elyse whispered through her tears.

Erwin's arms wrapped around her then, and Elyse buried her face in his chest.

"I'm supposed to be happy. What's wrong with me?" Elyse asked, and she knew that Erwin wasn't going to answer since he was too busy stroking her hair and placing kisses at the top of her head.

"If you're not happy, you're not happy, Elyse. Here, wipe your eyes for now. Let's go inside and relieve Levi and Petra. The kids should be asleep anyways." Erwin said, soothingly.

Elyse nodded, knowing fully well that Erwin was trying to remove her from the public eyes just so they could be in a safe space.

Grateful, she let Erwin wrap an arm around her and let him lead her away, safely.

* * *

The kids weren't asleep. Instead, they were bouncing up and down the couch with Levi yelling at them. Petra was trying to calm Levi down, who in return was trying to reason with Petra whilst yelling at the kids.

It was enough for Elyse to start laughing, forgetting that she had been so lost and confused moments earlier.

Her laughter had the kids' attention as they jumped off the couch and ran towards their parents, happily.

Erwin wasn't happy.

Instead, he looked unhappy. He folded his arms and looked sternly at them even when they tried to climb up their father's legs.

"I asked you to behave. Eren, you were supposed to be in charge." Erwin scolded him. Eren immediately looked down, suddenly ashamed.

Elyse even felt guilty for laughing instead of scolding them. If her kids were going to be this rowdy, she needed to lay down the law with them too.

Erwin took over then, and Elyse let him as she walked towards her brother and Petra.

"Sorry." Elyse apologized, sheepishly. Petra smiled at her in acceptance, but her brother looked suspicious. Elyse tried very hard not to look weird. She knew her brother knew she had been crying. Hell, he could always tell when she had been crying since she was a little girl.

But, instead of calling her out on it, her brother simply gave her an unreadable look before he joined Erwin to scold the kids.

Petra seemed to be a bit confused, but she followed him as they all talked to the kids. Elyse simply watched the scene unfold, and once again, she found herself wondering as to why she was unhappy.

She watched as the kids apologized to their uncle and Petra, and she warmed at the sight of Erwin's proud smile on his face when they turned to look at him.

Her brother kissed her cheeks goodbye, "I hope you guys will figure it out soon."

That sent a chill down her back, and she sighed when her brother gave her a knowing glance. Of course, he knew her.

Petra gave her a hug and a promise to visit them soon. When they left, Elyse turned back to the children as they went to go get ready for bed. She began to follow after them, but Erwin stopped her, gently.

"I'll tuck them in. Just rest a bit." Erwin stated. Elyse blinked, but she nodded, surprised.

"Thank you." She whispered, feeling wrong for letting him do this himself.

"You deserve a break." Erwin stated, adamantly. He brushed his thumb across her cheek and then he left her standing there, feeling loved.

* * *

Elyse bit her lip as she looked out the window with her arms crossed. She stared at the view, and she watched as the lights flickered on and off as cars passed and people passed.

She couldn't believe that she ruined Erwin's planned date. She knew that it was a long time coming with her bottled emotions, but she didn't realize her heart would betray her now.

He was so good to her, and she ruined it by lying to his face.

She had promised Freida that she would talk to him in the restaurant, but that proved fruitless due to her lie.

Elyse wanted to slam her head on the window in frustration.

She looked at her reflection in the clean window, and she placed a hand on her face. She was twenty-two, turning twenty-three in a couple of weeks, and she looked…older and weary.

Erwin must've seen it, but he kept quiet about it.

Elyse sighed. She dug this hole for herself, and now she needed to get out.

"The kids are asleep." Erwin's smooth voice interrupted her thoughts and Elyse looked over her shoulder.

Erwin looked tired, too. He had unbuttoned the two button from his button-down and he had taken of his suit jacket amidst it all. His hair was slightly disheveled, but Elyse liked it that way. It made him more approachable, more handsome in her eyes.

She nodded, slowly, not knowing what to say.

Erwin walked up to her, and Elyse noticed that he simply stood by her side, his hands in his pocket as he looked at the view below them.

"I'm scared, Elyse." Erwin finally broke the silence.

Elyse turned to look at him, shocked.

"W-what?" Elyse asked, taken aback.

Erwin turned to look at her, and Elyse was even more surprised at the look of…unsureness was on written in his eyes.

"I've been trying to figure out why I've been scared. You told me you loved me, and I've been in love with you before that. We're supposed to be some great happy couple that everyone expected, but…I was scared. We were unconventional. We got married because you were pregnant. We got involved in each other's lives because you had to demand it, and I just went with the flow. I almost choked you to death. You had Braun. We had sex, constantly. We fought, horribly. We…were never normal." Erwin explained, his gaze steady.

Elyse nodded in agreement, her heart aching at the memories he brought up.

"So, being scared, it wasn't a great feeling, of course, and I wanted to bring it up, but whenever…whenever I came home to you and the kids, I was always stumped. So beautifully imperfect, you were always smiling at me and you never…you never brought anything up and that made me even more terrified."

Erwin hesitantly offered his hand towards her and Elyse took it without any hesitation, intertwining her fingers in his.

"I was terrified of shattering whatever we had after you finally told me that you loved me. I know it's selfish and horrible, but I…I couldn't lose you. I almost did, more than once, physically and emotionally. I couldn't bear it." Erwin admitted, softly, bringing his trembling lips on her hand.

Elyse closed her eyes, her heart begging for her to admit what she had been hiding for so long.

"I don't trust you." Elyse whispered, her heart relaxing and breaking at the same time at her admittance.

Erwin looked at her, and she felt her world shatter at the hurt in his eyes, but that wasn't what hurt her.

It was the realization of what he had done to her, the shame and horror of his actions.

"…I see." Erwin murmured, and his hold on her hand began to relax. Elyse tightened her hold.

"I do love you, Erwin. I hope you know that. I just…I'm terrified too. I'm scared that one day you're going to leave again. I'm scared that you're never going to trust me. I'm scared that one day you're going to wake up and want another kid and I can't even give that to you because I'm still traumatized-"

"Deep breaths, Elyse. Okay? I want you to take deep breaths." Erwin interrupted her, noticing that she was getting jittery as she spoke.

Elyse obeyed, and she began to take deep breaths, relaxing as Erwin returned his hold on her hand, his thumb circling against her knuckles.

The moment passed between them, and Elyse looked up shyly at Erwin, hoping that he would say something.

He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Okay, so what do you suggest we do, Elyse?" Erwin asked, gently. Elyse looked down at their hands, hesitant.

"Hey, don't do that now. We have a problem, and we're going to figure it this out together." Erwin prompted her.

Elyse nodded, and she took a deep breath. She looked up with wide eyes, "Therapy. Couples therapy."

Erwin nodded, immediately, in agreement.

"Okay, let's do that. When do you want to start?" Erwin asked. Elyse looked at him then, wrapping her arms around him as she let go of his hand.

"When we get back?" Elyse asked, softly. Erwin smiled and nodded at her request. He placed a small kiss on her forehead.

"Okay, when we get back." Erwin agreed.

* * *

A:N/ FINALS HATE ME. BYE.


	33. Chapter 33

A:N/ Hope you guys had a great holiday! I'm sorry that this was a bit late, but I do have online courses and a life to tend to :/. Without further ado, here's an update for you great supporters!

* * *

Agreeing to go to therapy was the easy part.

Finding their way back into normalcy was like pulling out one of Eren's baby teeth.

Elyse sighed as Eren complained again as Elyse tried to pull out one of the wobbly teeth that Eren wanted to get rid of. It's been a month since they had gotten back from New York City, and Elyse found herself settled back in Paris with the kids. The hard part was that during this month, she had to move back some stuff, and that's when she decided to renovate.

Ever since her admitted feelings in New York, new life with Erwin and the kids meant to start all over for her. Elyse refused to look around and see all the old furniture that reminded her of…well, all of it wasn't bad.

Elyse rubbed her empty stomach in remembrance of why she had been so adamant about changing the entire Estate.

Erwin was agreeable about the whole change, but Elyse knew that he was starting to get exasperated and annoyed by her. Even though, he had gotten back into heading her father's company, they both didn't realize that the business had been booming by the time they got back, and Erwin had been once again spending more and more time in his office in the Estate. The kids had been missing their father, and Elyse could tell how tired he was every time he got home, but he tried his best to play with them and give them his attention.

Elyse was the one that was more thankful for Erwin's lack of attention.

It wasn't that she hated him, nor was it the fact that she understood how busy he was.

She was more shy around him ever since she admitted about how much she feared him. She loved him, but she feared him. Erwin was the same with her, but he even seemed more accepting of her faults than she was of his.

What kind of relationship was that?

Erwin was still the same man he's been since they were together, but his touches were careful and his gazes were short. He spoke to her when possible, and Elyse knew that he had other business to attend to.

Well, that was the excuse she told herself when she smiled and nodded as he placed a soft kiss on her cheek in goodbye as he retired to his office.

They had agreed to go to therapy, but they had yet to talk about going ever since they got back.

Erwin's exasperation and her own stress began to show when Elyse had noticeably zoned out during dinner as she attended to another email on her phone about auditions for an upcoming production she was busying herself with when the kids were at school or doing hobbies.

"Elyse." Erwin's hardened voice called to her from across the table, and Elyse had looked up, surprised. The kids were busy eating their food and talking amongst each other, ignoring the fact that their father seemed a bit angry at the woman in front of him.

"Yes?" Elyse asked, expectantly, as she looked back down at her phone, quickly typing out a response to the email.

The sound of the chair scraping loudly against the floor made Elyse look up in confusion and even the kids stopped talking as they looked towards the direction of their father.

Erwin was standing up, but his frame was bent slightly as he placed his hands on the table and leaned forward.

"When I speak to you Elyse, I expect your full attention." Erwin said, lowly. Elyse felt a spark of annoyance at his intonation and she shot back, "Because I get your full attention these days."

Both of them had been glaring daggers at each other, and it was only until Eren coughed a bit after drinking his water too fast that the parents realized they weren't alone.

Erwin had quickly excused himself, and he left to go upstairs to his office. Elyse didn't bother to follow him, shaking her head as she sighed when she looked at her kids.

"Mama, can we not pull this one out? It's going to hurt too much." Eren whined, which snapped Elyse back to reality.

"Sweetie, it'll only hurt a little while, and then it's going to feel like nothing after a couple of minutes, I promise." Elyse swore as she caressed her son's cheek.

The words seemed to hit a sore spot with her and Elyse shook her head as she focused on pulling that baby tooth that was causing her son pain.

* * *

"What do you mean you guys didn't go to therapy yet?" Freida whipped around in surprise, making Elyse bump into her.

Elyse sighed as she turned Freida back around again, so they could continue walking.

"We didn't go to therapy. Exactly that." Elyse replied, easily, signing another paper that was thrusted her way as they walked. Freida stopped again, and Elyse sighed and began to walk in front of her.

"So, you're telling me that the month you've been back, there has been no improvements? No therapy? NO SEX?" Freida asked, loudly. Elyse froze in the middle of signing something else, and she flushed when she realized that the whole theatre had stopped what they were doing to focus on them.

Elyse grabbed Freida's arm and dragged her off the stage.

"Freida, it's not a big deal—"

"Not a big deal?! Of course it is! You guys were actually making progress!" Freida pointed out, pushing one of the ballerinas away as they tried to ask her something.

Elyse shot the ballerina an apologetic look before turning back to the frustrated Freida.

"We're fine! He's busy, I'm busy. Besides, the kids are growing up. I mean, Eren's eighth birthday is coming up, and event season—"

"What are you scared of, Elyse?" Freida asked, cutting her friend off.

Elyse paused, and she brought up a hand to massage her temples, "…Nothing, okay? I just…Leave it for now, Frei. I promise, everything is fine."

Freida sighed, and she didn't say anything as her eyes wandered towards the stage.

"If that's how you feel, Ely. I just…I want you guys to be happy, and it sucks that it seems to be taking a huge step back." Freida pointed out, turning back to face Elyse.

Elyse nodded, and she placed her head on her best friend's shoulder, "I know."

It was quiet for a moment, and then Freida broke it by whistling low. Elyse looked up at her, expectantly.

"But, God, I can just imagine how sexually frustrated Erwin is right now. I'd ease it in a heartbeat if he wasn't married to you." Freida whispered.

Freida yelped as Elyse pinched her friend's side hard.

* * *

 _Care to explain why Erwin's a short fuse nowadays?_

Elyse read her brother's text for the seventh time as she walked towards the car that waited for her.

Elyse didn't know she was holding her breath until she entered the car. Erwin and her haven't spoken about what happened during that dinner that night, and they've been fine. They had a routine of some sort. He'd come home, and they would all have dinner. He would play with the kids, and Elyse would join them if she wasn't busy with anything. They would put the kids to bed, and then they would go downstairs and sit in front of the fireplace, talk about their days and he would give her papers to sign from the company while she would give him papers to sign from the theatre. Sure, it wasn't detailed and they barely touched, but Elyse didn't…oh, who was she kidding?

Freida saw it. Her brother saw it. Everyone was probably keeping quiet about it.

Erwin and Elyse were tethering on the edge again, and people weren't keeping quiet about it anymore.

"Please drive to my husband's workplace." Elyse asked the driver. She settled back into her seat as she tried to calm her beating heart.

It was time for them to pick a damn therapist.

* * *

Isabelle was hugging her so tightly, Elyse was sure that she couldn't breathe for a moment.

"I'm so happy you're here! I was just talking to Petra on the phone about wedding details, and I wanted to show you the dress…"

Elyse politely nodded as Isabelle prattled on and on, and she even admired the ring on Isabelle's finger.

Dieter was a man of impeccable taste.

Erwin had been right about Dieter bringing another person to the Estate, and Elyse had been estatic when she found out that Isabelle was going to move into Dieter's house that they had set up a while ago.

The only downside was that Dieter was still away for personal Army reasons, and Erwin even kept mum about that. Isabelle was happy though and Freida was relieved when Isabelle came back for her job.

Elyse kept nodding and listening until the elevator doors chimed and opened. Elyse turned around, and she was floored by how many people were flocking around her husband. They were asking him questions and giving him papers, and Erwin was calm and composed as he responded in each direction.

Erwin had chosen to look up at that point, and he stilled as he saw Elyse standing there, who had smiled awkwardly as she raised her hand to give a small, weird wave.

The people around him seemed to notice that he had paused, and they looked at Elyse as if they've seen another person to bombard.

"Oh, Miss Elyse, if you could sign off on the business idea that your brother—"

"Miss Elyse, impeccable timing. I need to talk to you about the charity auction that needs to be-"

"There's a family day for the business next week, and it would be great if—"

"We just need your signature here if-"

"Enough." Erwin's voice sounded loudly, and the people who were stressing Elyse out stopped and turned back to Erwin.

"I'll get back to you guys. And if you need my wife to sign off on some of these things, I'll be sure to give them to her. As of now, if you'll excuse us." Erwin stated, and he lightly grabbed Elyse's hand, and Elyse felt herself warm at the feeling of their hands intertwined.

Isabelle smiled and nodded as Erwin gave her a soft order.

Elyse waved a bit at Isabelle as the office doors closed.

* * *

Erwin was still holding her hand as he led her towards the couch area. When he let go, Elyse fought back a slight feeling of disappointment, but she sat down and waited for him. She watched as he got a drink, and he motioned for her, asking if she would like one.

Elyse shook her head, politely. She watched as Erwin's hands moved, and she found herself biting her bottom lip, slightly.

"What brings you here?" Erwin asked, suddenly, and Elyse raised an eyebrow as if she had been distracted for a minute.

"I'm sorry?" Elyse asked, embarrassed. Erwin raised an eyebrow at her, but he walked towards her and sat down across from her. He placed his drink down on the coffee table between them, and he folded his hands in front of him, leaning forward a bit.

"Is there something wrong that you couldn't call or text?" Erwin prodded, nonchalantly. Elyse felt a sting of guilt when she realized that she didn't even let him know that she was on his way, and judging by what happened moments earlier, Erwin was busy.

"I…wanted to talk to you about something." Elyse stated, blankly and shyly.

Erwin didn't push, but Elyse could see that look of impatience in his eyes, and she knew that it was well-deserved, but she pushed through even though the look hurt her a bit.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened during dinner that night." Elyse offered, biting her lip nervously.

Erwin seemed taken aback by that as the look of impatience disappeared and was replaced with slight shock.

"Oh? I should apologize, too. Stress got the best of me, and I didn't mean to—"

Elyse grabbed his folded hands, earnestly, which surprised Erwin and cut himself off.

"Erwin, we don't need to go back to who should apologize or not. We need to talk about something else." Elyse stated, earnestly, and Erwin was more than confused at that point.

"Elyse, what…"

"We need to go find a therapist. Remember? It's been a month already, and…we haven't even been looking for one. All we've had between us is this awkward feeling of mistrust and you've been busy with work and I've been busy with the theatre and the kids are always having events and-"

Elyse didn't realize she was talking too much until Erwin cut her off by placing his index finger on her lips, gently.

The gentle smile on Erwin's face replaced the confusion and impatience he had on earlier, and it relieved Elyse.

"Okay, Elyse, let's go look for a therapist." Erwin agreed, his finger leaving her lips and Elyse felt an odd sensation of disappointment.

Elyse nodded, her face flushed and she looked down and played with her fingers on her lap.

"Where should we start?" Erwin asked.

* * *

Agreeing to look for a therapist was easy.

Finding one that they both agreed on was harder.

Erwin wanted some military-background one and Elyse wasn't too keen on adding more military in her life. She opted for a soft-spoken one that had…new ways of therapy and Erwin was against that, already remembering how the soft-spoken man was all too eager to put his hands on him.

They had seen six therapists, and neither of them agreed on one.

Elyse was ready to throw in the towel, but Erwin was more adamant of looking for one.

It began to tire her, but Elyse found herself in front of one more building in the heart of Paris, and she complied when Erwin offered her his hand as he helped her get out of the car.

"This office belongs to a doctor that specializes in post-traumatic soldiers and their marriages. Rest assured, Elyse, she is praised by the ballerinas in the theatre, and there are certain new ways that have proved to work." Erwin explained to her, as they both sat down in the beautifully decorated waiting room.

Elyse was too busy glaring at the secretary who was ogling her husband, and Elyse tucked her arm around her husband's and leaned in for good measure.

"I hope she isn't as open as this secretary of hers." Elyse whispered in Erwin's ear, and Erwin let out a soft laugh before placing a kiss on Elyse's forehead.

The secretary seemed to get the hint, and she busied herself on the computer, her face a bit pinched.

Elyse smiled at the return of affection in their relationship. Erwin was still careful, but he was starting to kiss her cheeks and forehead whenever he wanted, and that reassured Elyse as the weeks of trying to find a therapist passed by.

It was as if the strain was starting to loosen, but it was still there with the burden of mistrust of what the other might do. It sounded so silly to Elyse, but she knew it was more dangerous to think of it that way.

"Mr. Smith and Mrs. Jaeger-Smith? The doctor will see you now."

The office wasn't pristine, but it was cluttered. Elyse raised an eyebrow at the mess, but the artist soul of hers appreciated how warm and beautiful it looked. The stack of old books on one corner, and the multiple vases and frames atop of the lit fireplace. Elyse liked the office for a change.

Erwin's gaze was on the old books, and Elyse wanted to tease him about that, but the doctor was already greeting them and talking to them.

Her name was Rico Brzenska, and Elyse noticed her appearance was a refreshing change from the ones with tight buns and close-cropped hair. Rico had shaggy platinum-colored hair, and her eyes were that of a bright grey color, a color unusual but Elyse thought it could be the glasses that reflected that color. She was petite, and she had the usual clothes that signaled that she was a professional doctor down to even the actual white coat…

White coat? Elyse didn't even have time to question why a therapist would be wearing a white coat until Erwin offered his hand to shake Dr. Brzenska's hand.

"Dr. Brzenska, it's a pleasure to meet you. I heard so many great things about you through my colleagues." Erwin greeted, politely and warmly.

The doctor smiled, and Elyse noticed a hint of a blush at Erwin's praise and Elyse wanted to roll her eyes at Erwin and his stupid charm.

They were supposed to fix their relationship, not network with doctors.

The doctor and Erwin exchanged a few pleasantries, and Elyse was about to cough until the doctor turned to greet her.

This time, Elyse was taken aback when the doctor turned her attention to her.

"Mrs. Jaeger-Smith, it's nice to meet you. I've heard about you in the papers and media. It's an honor."

Elyse smiled in shyness and she nodded as she shook the doctor's hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, too. My husband apparently has heard various recommendations for you."

The doctor nodded, and she motioned for the couple to sit on the couch.

"So, let's start with talking about how it all started."

Erwin and Elyse exchanged a look, and they began to talk.

* * *

"Are you serious? How was I supposed to know that you didn't want me to stop seeing Braun after the first time he broke up with me?" Elyse asked, frustrated.

"Elyse, I'm sure you understood when you hired another bodyguard to follow you and Braun every weekend." Erwin argued back, placing a hand on his forehead.

It's been three months since Rico accepted the couple in her office.

Rico looked back and forth as Erwin and Elyse were talking over each other, and she noticed the way they talked to each other and motioned towards each other as they argued. It was surprisingly formal, and Rico had understood that they had been married for eight years and have three kids. She watched some videos of them in public events like charities and parties, and she had begrudgingly admitted that they looked perfectly in peace and beautiful. She knew that the former Commander had suffered with PTSD, per his files, so she thought they would be talking about that in their first meeting.

What surprised her even more was when they began to talk about affairs and marriage as if it was an agreement, and she had been writing furiously in her notebook, but Erwin had brushed a stray hair away from Elyse's face when she was talking and the loving look that Elyse shot his way threw Rico off.

Rico had to stop writing when the couple would come to an agreement in every argument. It felt like she wasn't even needed!

They were starting to resolve another argument, and Rico watched in awe as they came to a conclusion about that one Braun guy they had been arguing about.

The couple looked at her expectantly, and Rico cleared her throat, trying to pinpoint something that was troubling the couple.

"Your problems…they seem to have reached a conclusion every time you talk about it, and that's very good. What I just don't get is why reach out for a therapist when you seem to be perfectly capable of discussing…" Rico trailed off when a lightbulb lit up in her mind.

"Oh, I see." Rico stated in realization. She pointed her pen at a bewildered Elyse and then at a surprised Erwin.

"Both of you don't really want to be here."

Rico could see the confusion on Elyse's face and the irritation on Erwin's face, and she knew she hit a soft spot.

"I don't understand. We're here, aren't we?" Elyse pointed out, but Rico could tell that the woman was uncomfortable at the sight of her biting her lip.

"I'm not paying you to tell me that we don't want to be here." Erwin stated, and Rico tried her best not to roll her eyes at the man's pride being hurt.

"You both don't want to be here because you're scared of something being revealed and then a shit show happens. You come here, trying to bring back each and every mistake in the past, but it seems that you've guys forgiven each other for it so that's why it goes so well with you coming to a conclusion. Yet, there's more. There's something that both of you are scared to admit to each other because you're scared to conclude that one exact thing." Rico pointed out.

The sound of the timer that meant the end of their session sounded, and Rico smiled, politely.

"Well, that's our time for the day. Schedule with my secretary for the next appointment."

* * *

Elyse couldn't go to sleep. Her life has been busy, and she was truly tired, yet she just couldn't sleep. All she could think about was the words that their therapist had pointed out in that one session that ended so early.

Erwin and her barely spoke because of it, and they didn't schedule another appointment.

Erwin buried himself with work, and, for once, Elyse didn't mind at all. Instead, she even busied herself with the kids and the theatre. It wasn't easy, but they managed to avoid each other when it came to normal events of their lives. Yet, they knew they couldn't avoid each other even if they wanted to.

Armin had a science project, and Elyse had been confused about what he wanted. Armin had sighed and had asked if he could call his dad, and Elyse let him. But, Armin wanted Elyse to ask because, "Papa never says no to you", and Elyse found herself waiting for Erwin to pick up the phone.

Then, there was that one time when Mikasa wanted to practice combat training, and Elyse had to call Erwin once more. Erwin had sounded so busy and Elyse even flinched at the sound of his voice as yelled at someone. When he had come home, Mikasa had been so overjoyed that Erwin's tired face lit up when he hugged her.

Eren was the one who seemed intent on getting his parents to talk without actually knowing what he was doing. Eren was starting to cause some trouble in school because of his rivalry with this kid named Jean, and Erwin and Elyse had been called to so many parent-teacher meetings because of it.

Elyse took a deep breath as she got up from bed, and she decided that she needed wine. She opened her bedroom door, quietly, and when she looked up, she paused when she saw Erwin also leaving his office.

They stared at each other for a moment before a sudden coughing from one of the kids' room sounded.

Since the children turned seven, they were adamant on having their own rooms, but they still wanted to be next to each other, so Elyse had made that change when she had renovated the Estate.

Erwin and Elyse hurriedly walk towards the room, and Erwin knocked, softly.

"Eren? Are you okay?" Erwin asked, urgently.

The door opened slightly, and Elyse bent down to examine his face. He looked pale, and Elyse put a hand on her son's forehead. He was burning up, and Elyse frowned.

She looked up at Erwin and motioned towards the bathroom, "Can you get the first-aid kit? I'm sure that there's some Tylenol in there."

Erwin nodded, and he obeyed.

The parents helped Eren back to bed, and Erwin stroked his son's sweaty forehead in concern.

"You can go do what you had to do, Elyse. I'll take care of Eren." Erwin stated, softly. Elyse shook her head, looking down at Eren's sleeping face.

"Of course not. I'll stay with you." Elyse disagreed, making a face.

Erwin chucked at that, and Elyse found herself smiling, slightly. It's been awhile since they've…well, interacted.

After a moment of hearing Eren's breathing, Erwin looked at Elyse, who sat on the either side of the bed.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked, his eyes still on his son.

Elyse shook her head and she sighed as Erwin looked up at her.

"No, not really. I was going to go downstairs to drink some wine." Elyse stated, shrugging her shoulders.

Erwin laughed, "We can go downstairs after Eren's fever dies down."

Elyse didn't expect that, and she stilled. Erwin seemed to have caught that, and he immediately tried to salvage the situation.

"I mean, if you're comfortable to drink wine with me." Erwin quickly said right after.

Elyse looked down, and she didn't answer for a while, leaving the situation a bit awkward. She got the thermometer, and she placed it gently in Eren's open mouth and she waited. She could feel Erwin's gaze on her, and she sighed in relief at the temperature she read.

"The fever died down. Let's go get wine." Elyse whispered, and Erwin smiled at that.

* * *

"Work isn't getting any better, is it?" Elyse asked after Erwin poured her a glass and gave it to her. Erwin sighed as he poured himself a glass and sat across from her in the living room.

"It is getting better. That's the problem." Erwin replied, leaning forward.

Elyse swished the contents in her glass and she hummed in thought.

"I wonder why all of a sudden businesses want to interact with us?" Elyse mused, aloud.

"I think it has to do with you." Erwin replied, taking another drink out of his glass.

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that and turned to her husband in surprise, "What?"

Erwin smiled and he placed his now empty glass on the table before he leaned forward, "The world is looking at us and our family. They have been. The moment you married a man who was ten years older than you when you were sixteen. It was all anyone talked about. Then, we adopted two newborn babies before you gave birth. _That_ got them talking even more. An affair of the heart with Braun became news, but then, they didn't believe it after I came home to you. Now, everyone sees us and they think we're some sort of human story they've followed around just can't help but be drawn to it."

Elyse blinked, and she stared at Erwin before placing her glass down.

"You can't be serious."

"Believe it or not, that's what most of these business pitches lead on with. Meeting after meeting, if someone tells me how _touched_ they are by our family, I swear I'm going to throw something at their balding heads." Erwin groused.

Elyse couldn't help but smile at that, but then she looked up, her hazel eyes wide.

Erwin stared at her back, and he brought his hand up. Elyse placed her own on his palm and she warmed instantly when his fingers curled around her hand.

"…Do you believe that we're some touching, humanistic story of a family?" Elyse finally asked.

Erwin didn't say anything as his other hand began to trace her hand, softly.

"There are days when I'm flattered and I'm proud that they think of us in that way, yet now…I can't help but feel disgusted by it. I think to myself, 'If they only knew all the shit we've been through, they wouldn't be cooing and crooning.'" Erwin replied, finally, placing a gentle kiss on her hand.

He let go, and Elyse leaned forward to caress his cheek. Erwin leaned into her touch, and Elyse felt the sadness that was building up in her begin to suffocate her.

"Do you want to be in couple's therapy?" Elyse asked, forcing the question out.

Erwin closed his eyes and he sat up straight and sighed. Elyse brought back her hand, slowly, and she waited patiently for his answer.

Erwin finally opened his eyes, and he poured himself another glass.

"I do and I don't." Erwin finally replied, placing his empty glass on the table.

"What do you mean?" Elyse asked, quietly, trying to ignore the pain that came from hearing his answer.

"I do because I want to fix us. This problem we seem to have, yet we can't pinpoint." Erwin replied, easily, and Elyse supposed she could be comforted with the fact, but she was still uneasy from the other part of the answer.

"I don't because I'm afraid." Erwin said, softly. His blue-eyed gaze returning to look at her.

Elyse breathed in sharply.

"Afraid?" Elyse asked.

Erwin nodded, and he looked down at his wedding ring, which he fiddled with as he was lost in thought.

"It's what Rico said that made me realize that there is something that has been gnawing at me since we've admitted to each other that we love each other. From what I understood, that should've been the end of everything. We're supposed to be happy and we're supposed to be deliriously in love, according to every damn movie I was dragged into watching with old girlfriends who never seemed to sit right with me."

Elyse struggled not to amusingly toss her wine at her husband for mentioning old girlfriends, but then again she had Braun not so long ago.

Erwin seemed to read her as he tried impishly smirk at her, but the mirth was lost in his eyes and Elyse knew that whatever amusement he tried to bring up had failed.

"The sad truth is that the trip to New York City was supposed to be the end of feeling that way, but you confirmed that you were scared, also. What made it worse was that you weren't scared of anything else in the marriage but me. Truth be told, it hurt that night to find out that the one very person I finally found that I was hopelessly in love with was terrified of…well, me."

Elyse slumped a bit at that, and she was about to open her mouth to apologize, but Erwin stopped her by raising a hand.

"Elyse, it's not your fault, if that's what you're thinking. That night…made me realize that I had buried something so deep within me that I didn't realize it existed entirely until you brought up your issue with me."

"What is it that you realized?" Elyse asked, softly.

Erwin sighed after a moment, and he leaned forward and earnestly grabbed Elyse's hands as he looked up at her.

"I realized that I'm scared of sharing my life with anyone. Take my marriage to Marie for example. I just married her, thinking that I can live a complacent life with her, and I failed terribly at that. Then, you came along, and I chalked it up to duty and another complacency. With the kids, it was easy to open myself up to them. I always wanted children, but having a partner? You took me on a ride that I found myself hating and loving, but then Braun had made me realize that you could leave anytime. You could just get up and leave, and I'd be stuck with a broken heart I didn't even know I had." Erwin finished, his hands gripping onto hers tightly.

Elyse found the tears forming, and she began to quietly sob which alarmed Erwin.

"Oh, Elyse, I didn't mean to…I mean...don't cry, please." Erwin pleaded, softly, immediately coming to her side.

Elyse began to cry even harder as she clung onto Erwin. She buried her head in his chest, and she welcomed his strong arms around her.

She calmed down for a moment, and she shyly pushed him away and Erwin immediately retracted his arms. Elyse placed her face in her hands, and she took a deep breath as she wiped her tears away.

Elyse looked at Erwin, and she noticed how patient he was being as he stared at her, unsure of what to do.

She offered him a weak smile, "Sorry about that. The whole honesty thing keeps throwing me into a loop. Guess we picked a good therapist, huh?"

Erwin simply nodded, not knowing if Elyse was trying to be funny or not to ease the tension.

Elyse sighed and she looked down at her hands, "She was right, you know. I already knew that I didn't want to be in couples therapy even when I suggested it. God, Freida had to push me into it, and I saw that there was no way of avoiding it anymore."

It was Erwin's turn to be taken aback as he stared at her when she looked at him and offered him a weak laugh, "You're not the only who who's scared of sharing what you're really scared of."

Erwin hesitantly brought a thumb to her cheek and he brushed away another tear as one slipped out.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Erwin offered. Elyse barked a laugh at that and she shook her head.

"Oh, enough, Erwin. You and I both need to stop pretending that there's something that we can go back to. The damage is done, and we both need to figure out this hole we've dug up for ourselves. Everyone can see through us. Hell, Dr. Brzenska saw it and it took her not even a whole year to figure it out. It took us _six_ years to figure out we loved each other because we didn't do anything about it. I don't want to do that anymore even if I have to sacrifice being comfortable." Elyse sighed.

Erwin nodded in agreement and he placed a hand on hers, "I'm ready to hear what you have to say."

Elyse stared at his hand on hers before taking a deep breath and letting it go.

"I…I'm scared that even if we do love each other and we care for each other that we're going to realize sooner or later that it isn't enough." Elyse whispered.

Erwin stilled at that.

"Oh, Elyse…"

Elyse's eyes filled up with tears as she looked up at him.

"I mean, come on Erwin. You really think we can have a marriage when we don't trust each other. Yes, we resolve our problems, but what about the trust? We've fucked each other up, believe it or not. So, I feel like this whole therapy is going to make us realize that it would be better to…be apart then together." Elyse finished, the tears flowing down her face once more.

"Elyse…I…I can't believe you felt this way." Erwin finally managed to say as he brought a hand to her chin and made her look up.

Elyse scoffed at that, "Erwin, you just admitted to me something so unexpected, so I think we're on the same boat here."

Erwin sighed and he frowned slightly at Elyse trying to use sarcasm, "Hey, I'm being serious. If I'd known you felt that way—"

"You would what? Make it magically disappear? Buy me an opera house? Shower me with roses? Erwin. This can't be fixed and you know it. We pretend that we can live with each other because we love each other, but when it comes to dealing with the emotional baggage, we replace it with busying ourselves with the kids and the businesses we share…You just even admitted that you can't share a life—"

"Do I have to remind you that we've been through hell and back when it came to our arranged marriage? I didn't even know I loved you when I fought to keep our relationship and our family safe. And, now that I know how much I…Elyse, you can't fathom the love I have for you. Yes, I'm scared of sharing a life with someone, but fuck, Elyse, you're not just _someone_. Rico had mentioned that we were hiding something that we were afraid to conclude, but now that I shared it with you…I feel relieved. If that's how sharing a life with Elyse Rose Ackerman-Jaeger feels like, then shit, sign me up." Erwin said, placing a hand on her cheek.

Elyse couldn't help but laugh at that.

"…Really? You really think it took you admitting that to me to let go of it?" Elyse asked, in disbelief.

"How can someone explain why we were put together in the first place—and I swear Elyse, not another attempted joke—I felt a sense of relief and it only took me to let go of the secret. Yes, it may sometimes be hard, but isn't that the beauty of it? I found that one person I thought didn't exist." Erwin explained, stroking her cheek.

Elyse bit her lip and she looked down, "Well, it must be nice. I still feel scared and horrible—"

"And I'll be there to reassure you every day that I'm real. That we're in this crazy ride together. If it takes you a week to seven years to realize it, then I don't give two shits. I love you, Elyse. It's time for you to share your fears with me. I will never leave you." Erwin assured her.

Elyse nodded after a moment, and she looked at her husband, trying to calm herself.

"Thank you, Erwin. I just…I really want to be alone right now."

Without another word, Elyse got up and ran back upstairs.

* * *

Erwin was too distracted to go into work the next day, so he called in for a vacation day. He rested against his office chair, and he stared at the framed photographs on his table. The picture of him and Elyse in that wretched City Hall wedding and the pictures of his kids in their matching pajamas that Elyse had insisted that they wore once Armin was born. There were more pictures that included Elyse and himself with the kids. The one that he picked up and stared at for a very long time was the one in New York City. They had gone to Central Park with Levi and Petra, and Petra insisted on taking a family picture of them. It was a happy one, one that Erwin was sure would last.

Too bad it was the same day that Elyse admitted how she couldn't trust him.

God, she was beautiful. He stroked the picture of her face on their wedding day and he couldn't help but realize how young she had been. Maybe it was the way she had held herself, but Erwin had used to forget how young she was. He would put her on some high pedestal, always being disappointed in her when she faltered and she had tried her very best to make up for it.

Erwin gritted his teeth.

Of course she didn't trust him. He was a damn robot when it came to the early years of their marriage, and the consequences were unfolding before him.

Her admittance of how scared she was made him yearn for her to realize that he would never dare try and leave. She could reveal that she had lied to him about her very existence, and he still wouldn't leave her.

Yet, he understood why she struggled with it. It was his fault in the first place, leaving her vulnerable when he had been too upset at her about Braun. It had led to so many downfalls, and Erwin thought he could prance back in and pick up the pieces like it was easy.

Erwin let out a frustrated groan and he banged his hands on the table.

"Papa…?" A voice called from the other side of the door and Erwin let out a soft curse, but he was thankful that his office was soundproof.

He cleared his throat and pasted a smile on his face as he got up from his desk and placed the picture frame back on it. He opened the door and he was greeted by a distraught Mikasa.

Concerned, Erwin bent down and he placed both hands on her face.

"What's wrong? Did something happen to Maus again?" Erwin asked, looking around for the family cat. Maus was on one of the tables licking himself, so Erwin breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's Mama, Papa. She keeps crying even though she tries to hide it when I ask. Eren told me not to bother her, but Armin is also scared. Is everything okay with her?" Mikasa asked, innocently.

Erwin felt a sense of dread fill him, and he had to stop himself from immediately going to Elyse's room.

"I'll go check on her. Why don't you go teach your brothers the new skills you learned?" Erwin suggested. Mikasa seemed skeptical, but she obeyed her father as she walked down the stairs to look for her brothers.

Erwin immediately ran to Elyse's room, and he tried his very best no to knock so hard.

"Elyse?" Erwin asked, softly. Erwin could hear the sounds of Elyse's crying and he knocked even louder. He heard the sounds stop, and he held his breath as she opened the door.

Elyse looked at him, and Erwin was more than perplexed when he noticed that there was no sign that Elyse had been crying. A quick glance inside her room, and Erwin noticed an open laptop and what seemed like a crying scene that was paused.

Erwin wanted to hit himself for being so stupid. That's why Eren told his sister to leave it alone. It was Eren who teased his mother for watching so many dramas.

"Oh, sorry, Mikasa had said something that worried me and I just wanted to make sure that…" Erwin trailed off, knowing fully well that he was caught.

Elyse blinked at him, and a sudden smile spread across her features and Erwin couldn't help but be in awe of how beautiful his wife truly was. If only their situation was normal, he'd kiss her right then and there if he could.

"It's okay, Erwin. I needed to talk to you, anyways." Elyse said, bringing Erwin back to his senses.

"What is it?" Erwin asked, trying not to make any weird faces about how he was feeling.

"…Is it okay if we called Dr. Brzenska again? I'd like for us to continue now that we've started with something." Elyse asked, biting her lip.

Erwin couldn't help but feel relieved as he nodded in agreement. Elyse smiled shyly at him, and Erwin was really tempted to just grab her face and kiss her.

But, there was a time for everything and they needed to-

A soft kiss on his cheek made him pause, and Elyse flushed as she looked back up at him.

"So, I'll go call the secretary." Elyse offered as a goodbye, and Erwin just nodded as the door was closed.

Erwin let a smile break out on his face, and he tried his best not to look like a fool as he readied himself for work the next day.

* * *

Rico was impressed by how open the couple was in front of her. They had admitted that she had been right, and they had talked about it. Rico kept her mind on high alert as Erwin spoke about his problem. Well, that was easy enough, and Rico helped him with her advice which he took in appreciation. Elyse was the one that was oddly quiet, so Rico turned her attention to her.

"Elyse, you've haven't spoken. Is there something that you would like to say?" Rico prodded, gently.

Elyse looked down at her hands and Rico watched as Erwin placed one of his own atop of them. Elyse looked at her husband, and Rico watched as Erwin gently smiled at her, encouraging her.

"I'm afraid that even if we do love each other that we're going to find something out in this therapy that makes us realize that we can't be together. You've heard our problems, and they may be little and do have solutions, but it's left a little piece of me distrustful of my husband." Elyse admitted, softly. Rico had to strain a bit to hear, but Rico nodded once she understood.

"That is a big issue. Trust is always the foundation of a good relationship, and I can see where your concerns lie about finding out something that will scare Erwin away. But, I assure you that you being scared is the first step of being able to fix it." Rico stated, reasurringly.

"How so?" Elyse asked, suspiciously.

"Love isn't a noun, Elyse. Love is a verb. It's the very action of a feeling that makes marriages so successful. I bet you've heard people say, 'I just don't love this person anymore,' and of course they don't because they have given up on it. They've given up on loving that person. You haven't, Elyse, and I'm sure Erwin hasn't either. You both will get through this. Let's start with concentrating on your problems of why you're afraid in the first place, Elyse." Rico stated, casually.

Rico didn't know she'd be in for an earful.

* * *

 _Love isn't a noun. It's a verb._

Those words echoed in Elyse's mind as she watched Erwin prepare dinner for the family. That had been part of the proposed plan of understanding and trusting each other. They would switch roles sometimes, shouldering each responsibility. Elyse would be reading papers to him, and Erwin would cook for her. Yet, the thing was, Erwin had always been cooking for her when she didn't have the time to. Elyse would already read the papers because she had to. She did own the company with her husband. If it was something she didn't understand, she would ask Erwin for help.

But, Elyse could see why their therapist made them do it.

It's been a while since they even had talked to each other about the simple, little details about what's going on in their lives. She had been pleasantly surprised at how Erwin had been secretly taking dancing lessons. Elyse couldn't stop smiling at him over dinner one evening, and Erwin was already trying to distract himself as he talked to the kids.

Then, there was that time Erwin found out that Elyse would secretly go into his office and take half his paperwork to help him out. She had been calling and texting her brother for help so she didn't have to bother him. Erwin had picked Elyse and twirled her around as he opened her bedroom door and noticed that she looked like a deer caught in headlights.

All was well with the exercises, but Elyse wasn't sure if it was really helping her with the trust issue.

That's until the day that Elyse got a call from the principal of the kids' school. She informed Elyse that Eren had gotten into a fight again, and Elyse was starting to rush over until she got a call from Erwin the very next second.

"Don't go. I'll take care of it." Erwin told her immediately. Elyse had paused, and she fought the urge to yell at him about how he was doing it again.

"Trust me." Erwin pleaded, and Elyse was taken aback. She knew that he was really asking her to do it, and the whole trust issue was a good excuse for it. Elyse sighed, and she agreed.

She had paced the floor in the living room as she waited. She had picked up Armin and Mikasa, and they were eerily quiet and Elyse didn't want to push. She heard Erwin's familiar footsteps and low voice as she looked up, and she was shocked at what she saw.

Eren had bruises all over his face, and Elyse rushed over to inspect the damage. She began to tear until Eren placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Mama. I won't get into fights anymore. Papa is going to take me to military camps with him when he can. He told me that I can release my anger there." Eren said, casually.

Elyse, not knowing what to say, hugged her son and kissed him hard on the cheek before letting him go find his siblings. When he was out of earshot and sight, Elyse turned back to Erwin.

"What happened?" Elyse demanded, urgently.

Erwin looked at her, solemnly, and Elyse was about to start shaking him if he didn't answer her.

"Some kids were starting to bully Armin and Eren got really angry. Mikasa had tried to stop it, but another kid aggravated her, which led to her fighting, also-don't worry, according to Eren, she doesn't have one speck of dirt on her. Eren took the blame for it, but he admitted to me that he's been feeling bit agitated lately…Elyse, he found that he was adopted." Erwin finished, quietly.

Elyse closed her eyes, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She had forgotten that Eren and Mikasa were adopted, and she had forgotten to prepare herself for the talk, but when she looked at Erwin, he seemed to be at ease even though he was still a bit tense.

Elyse couldn't blame him. She wanted to give those kids a piece of her mind as well, but when it comes down to it, kids were kids. They didn't know half the things they said would hurt a person.

"And Mikasa?" Elyse asked, softly.

"Apparently, she's known also." Erwin replied with a sigh.

"Why didn't they say something?" Elyse asked, trying to calm her beating heart.

"Eren said because it didn't matter. It only mattered when Armin was being bullied about how apparently we weren't happy with him before he was born and that's why we adopted-Elyse, it's stupid I know, look at me." Erwin demanded.

Elyse obeyed, and she looked at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"I talked to the teachers and I talked to the principal. The kids were dealt with, but here's the thing, we could send the kids to a different school if you want, but talking to Eren…I feel like he's got everything under control. He just really cares about his siblings. I could sense that Jaeger protectiveness in him. I mean, look at your brother and you. You guys would kill to protect." Erwin reassured her.

"Damn right." Elyse muttered in reply, and Erwin smiled wryly at her.

"What I'm saying is that Eren has been hiding this for quite some time, and I was also upset. I asked him why he didn't say anything, and he looked at me straight in the eye and told me that he didn't want to make you cry. He said that if he told you, you would be hard on yourself, and I was surprised, to say the least. Eren is really perceptive." Erwin mused.

"Why would he tell you then?" Elyse asked, her shoulder slumping.

"Because he knew that I had the right alternative for him. I'll be taking him with me to training camps, and he can look around and we can train together. He may be only eight, but you should've seen the other kids. Our son can fight." Erwin stated, proudly.

Elyse pushed Erwin's shoulder in warning, and Erwin smiled at her sheepishly.

Elyse softened and she relaxed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Elyse found herself being tickled at the feeling of his stubble on her bare shoulder.

"Thank you for trusting me." Erwin sighed in her shoulder.

"Thank you for being trustworthy." Elyse replied as she kissed his cheek.

Erwin pulled back a bit to look at her, and Elyse could see that his eyes were scanning her face, looking for permission.

Elyse tiptoed and gave him his permission as she closed the gap between them.

* * *

A:N/ Hope you guys enjoyed!


	34. Chapter 34

A:N/ Here's another update!

* * *

Elyse sighed, happily, as she woke up.

Her feet touched her soft carpet, and she tied her satin robe around her waist as she made her way downstairs to make breakfast.

It had been a couple of weeks since Erwin and her had admitted everything in couples' therapy, and everything that had been associated with Elyse's fear of being left alone had dated back to when she had chosen her father over her brother when she had only been a kid. Erwin had come to a realization about that, and he agonized over it and apologized to Elyse repeatedly. Elyse had taken his heartfelt apology because it was nice.

It was nice to have someone apologize to her.

Elyse smiled once more as she saw the sunshine lighting up the kitchen as she walked inside. She tightened the sash on her robe and rolled the silky sleeves up as she made her way to get the pots to cook. She began to hum softly as she cooked.

The sudden feeling of arms around her made her gasp in surprise, but she soon relaxed when she noticed the strong forearms that could only belong to the man who would be awake at this hour.

"You're sweaty." Elyse stated, wrinkling her nose at the feeling of slightly wet clothing pressed against her back through her thin satin robe.

She was thankful that he couldn't see her blushing face at that moment.

They hadn't been intimate yet ever since they finally began resolving the deepest issue in their relationship, and Erwin never pressed her for anything, which Elyse was grateful for.

But, Elyse had been noticing how she missed his warmth and…hands. She would watch him play with the kids, talk on the phone, write on papers, read the newspaper, eat his food, check his phone, and all the other normal things he would usually do with his hands and she didn't realize she had been gazing at him until he would look at her, expectantly, and ask if she needed anything from him.

Elyse would usually hastily shake her head and apologize while busying herself with something in front of her. Erwin didn't seem to notice anything, and he resumed whatever he had been doing.

Elyse would just glance at his hands once more, and she smiled to herself whenever she saw that wedding ring, glinting in the light.

"You're awake pretty early." Erwin whispered from behind her, and Elyse suppressed a shudder at the ghost of his breath on behind the outer shell of her ear.

"I slept early. Too exhausted from yesterday's play with the kids." Elyse reminded him, and Erwin chuckled, dropping his arms as he reached over to pop a piece of toast in his mouth.

Elyse tried to swat his hand away, but he managed to maneuver around her as he teasingly winked at her.

Elyse let out an annoyed sigh as she pushed the piece of bread in his sputtering mouth.

"Elyse!" Erwin managed to spit out after swallowing. Elyse shrugged, tucking a hair behind her ear.

"Serves you right. No eating until the kids come down." Elyse reminded him, bending down slightly to turn off the stove. She straightened up and grabbed the finished entrees to place them on the dining table.

Once she was finished setting up, she turned around and noticed that Erwin was leaning against the countertop and looking at her, with crossed arms and a smile on his face.

Smiling back, Elyse gave him a questioning gaze, "What?"

Erwin didn't say anything for a quick moment before cocking his head slightly to the side, "I've really hit the jackpot with you, didn't I?"

Elyse flushed slightly, and she rolled her eyes as she made her way to him to exit into the living room.

"Gross." Elyse shot back, making a face. Before she could leave, Erwin stopped her by grabbing her wrist and pulling her back towards him.

Elyse was about to protest, but she was silence by a pair of lips on her cheek. Elyse didn't bother to argue as she melted into his embrace and she brought her arms up to wrap around his neck as she tiptoed to press her forehead against his.

He released her after a moment, and Elyse pulled away from his embrace, slowly.

"Still gross?" Erwin teased, his blue eyes watching her playfully as she bit her lip.

Elyse rolled her eyes, and she managed to walk away before he could grab her again.

"Still gross." She stated, laughingly, as she exited.

She hoped he didn't see the pink on her face.

* * *

"Mama, I have practice until 7 today. Jean's mom offered to take me home. Do you mind?" Mikasa asked Elyse as she sat down for breakfast.

Elyse nodded, walking towards her daughter to fix her hair.

"That's fine. Just make sure you eat and drink water. I won't have you forgetting again. Okay?" Elyse pointed out, braiding a piece of her daughter's hair.

Mikasa nodded, and she happily ate her food. Elyse looked up, and she smiled in amusement when she noticed Eren's disgusted face.

"Jean, Mikasa? That horse face has a crush on you, you know that?" Eren teased, pointing at his sister with his fork. Elyse gave her son a reprimanding glare at how dirty his area was, and Eren shot his mom an apologetic look before hurriedly placing his fork back on his plate.

Mikasa scoffed, "Just because you guys don't like each other doesn't mean I can't accept free rides to go home. Besides, Jean is just being nice. You should try that sometimes, Eren." Mikasa shot back, slyly.

"Oh, please, Mikasa. You're just using him. Right, Armin?" Eren asked his brother on his left.

Armin was too busy reading a book on the table before he looked up at Eren in complete confusion.

"What?" Armin asked, blankly.

Elyse couldn't help but laugh at how Eren sighed in exasperation and how Armin seemed to be at a lost.

She finished with Mikasa's hair, and she sat back down, her gaze still lovingly trained on her children.

Eight years old and already beginning to take over the world.

The press had been respectful, but when it came to the kids' accomplishments, Elyse had been nervous whenever she saw the press there, trying to take pictures and videos. The school had a strict policy on press since they catered to the elite, so Elyse's nerves were calmed whenever she saw the school security escorting them out every time.

She had hoped her kids would live a normal life, but with their accomplishments and their personalities, Elyse found it hard to hide them. Eren was already showing promise as an Army brat, following his father whenever he would go to the military posts. He knew all kinds of things that Elyse was sure a normal eight-year-old shouldn't know about the military. Then, there was Mikasa who was showing promise in the art that her mother practiced. Elyse remembered the first dance recital gave Mikasa an invitation to join a school already. Elyse had rejected it quickly. Her daughter was too young to be living a life away from her family, and Elyse wasn't about to let go of her only daughter. Mikasa didn't seem to mind either, and Erwin had teased Elyse about how Mikasa would join a ballet company at this point, which Elyse was hoping wouldn't happen just yet. Elyse had even caught her daughter singing, and she had been floored at how talented she was. Armin was the one that Elyse couldn't believe was her actual _biological_ child. He was advancing in subjects that Elyse never even had the chance of hearing. He had won first in every science fair, and he had been gifted awards in every scientific field he ever showed interest in. Elyse had been adamant about going to every event he had—debates, science fairs, and whatever else Elyse pretended to understand. Armin was happy every time he saw her, and Elyse didn't even care if she had to sit for an hour hearing about quantum physics.

Erwin was the one who was the absolute _doting_ father.

He made sure everyone knew that Eren was his son whenever they went to military outings-to the point where Elyse had received a call from Dieter, begging her to tell Erwin to stop Eren from showing off to the new recruits of his skills because Eren was scaring them. Erwin was the one who made sure they had the _perfect_ seating when it came to Mikasa's dance recitals, and he would always bring huge balloons, teddy bears, and bouquets that Elyse would sink down in her seat whenever she heard someone grumble in the background of how they couldn't see. Erwin was the one who would stand by Armin and be Armin's _assistant_ when it came to showing off his science projects. Elyse had received a phone call from Armin's teacher, saying that Armin can't bring Erwin in anymore for Science Day because the kids were starting to question their parents and ordering them to be their assistants.

Elyse had remembered calling Erwin and telling him to come home, and she had to, not only drive there and get her husband, but she had to explain to Armin why Erwin couldn't come anymore while Erwin was pouting secretly behind her back.

Freida had laughed at every story Elyse shared and she had sighed in wanting.

"You really hit the jackpot with that man, Ely. Not only is head over heels over you, he'll do anything for the kids, too." Freida stated, staring appreciatively at Erwin's back as he directed yet another production.

Elyse sighed at that, "More like he needs to focus more on the company if he wants to keep spoiling them."

Freida groaned, "Adopt me. I want to be spoiled. I've always wanted to call Erwin 'daddy'."

Elyse had choked at that and scolded Freida by pushing her off her chair.

Needless to say, Freida would now always wink at Elyse and mouth the word, 'Daddy', whenever Erwin was turned around.

Elyse sighed as she focused back on her kids.

They were growing up so quickly and Elyse wasn't sure she was ready for that.

"Papa, can I ask you a question?" Mikasa asked, turning to look at Erwin who was reading a newspaper and scrolling through his phone.

Elyse's heart always warmed up whenever she watched Erwin place whatever he was doing away so he could focus on their kids. It was such a small thing, but it spoke volumes to Elyse, knowing fully well how busy her husband can be.

"Why don't you and Mama sleep in the same room?" Mikasa asked, innocently.

Elyse's eyes widened in surprise and Erwin seemed to be taken aback. They both looked at each other, a loss for words as they tried to communicate through their gazes.

"Uh…because…" Erwin trailed off and Elyse tried to desperately come up with something.

"Because your Papa snores." Elyse intervened, quickly.

Everyone looked at her, and Erwin glared at her, raising an eyebrow, but Elyse simply shrugged and smiled in sheepishness.

Mikasa seemed to contemplate that, and she nodded in acceptance before getting up and bounding up the stairs to get ready for school, thanking her parents for the food. Armin and Eren followed her example, and the parents were left alone in the room.

"I snore?" Erwin asked, his face still the same, and Elyse let out a snort.

"That's all I could think of!" Elyse replied, her face amused.

Erwin rolled his eyes, getting up from the table. He turned around after a moment, and Elyse watched as a playful smile lit his face.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not the snorer in this relationship, Elyse. If my memory serves me right, I had many sleepless nights turning you over to stop you from sounding like a dying whale." Erwin stated, before turning back around and leaving the room.

"ERWIN SMITH, YOU COME BACK HERE NOW."

Laughter was all that responded.

* * *

Elyse grumbled under her breath as she walked down the halls of her children's school.

"Dying whale? That…Ugh!" Elyse muttered, turning around the corner to find her kids' room.

Elyse was greeted by very, very shrill greetings.

"Elyse! Hi! I didn't know you'd be picking up your kids today!" A platinum-haired, white toothy woman greeted her. Elyse forced herself to smile as she was approached by the woman.

"Vanessa, hello." Elyse greeted the woman, cordially.

Vanessa De Laurent was one of Erwin's business partner's much younger wife. Elyse and her were the ones that were the young wives, yet Elyse hated being associated with the woman in front of her. Vanessa had no shame when it came to looking down on women, and she would try to drag Elyse with her, much to no avail.

Elyse also didn't like it when Vanessa would try to give bedroom eyes at Erwin when she thought Elyse wasn't looking.

"Where's that handsome husband of yours?" Vanessa asked, looking around, trying to eagerly look for Erwin. Elyse tried to smile politely while clenching her teeth.

"He went to the office today." Elyse replied, trying to look for her children among the throng of people.

"Such a shame. I wanted to see if he would like to come to this dinner that I'm planning for the businessmen." Vanessa said, her red lipstick giving Elyse a headache.

Elyse tried to smile in response, but she was saved when she saw Nana waving at her.

"If you'll excuse me." Elyse muttered, quickly, and she sighed in relief when she managed to escape Vanessa, unscathed.

When she reached Nana, Nana gave her a sympathetic smile, "I saw you stuck with Mrs. De Laurent over there."

Elyse laughed, freely, at that, and she hugged Nana in greeting.

"You're a lifesaver. She was asking where Erwin was, and I had to force myself to grin and bear it." Elyse sighed.

Nana laughed with her, and she waved over to where her kids were and Elyse saw that Eren and Armin were spending some time with them.

She was confused, trying to look for Mikasa. And she had to suppress a surprised laugh when she saw Mikasa talking to that Jean kid.

"Huh." Elyse hummed, in thought.

Nana giggled and pushed Elyse's arm, playfully.

"Leave your daughter alone." Nana warned, teasingly.

"She teases me all the time! One morning, she comes into my room and tells me that I scare her in the morning because I look like a monster." Elyse groused, knowing fully well she can't tease her daughter even though she wanted to so badly.

Nana laughed and Elyse relaxed in her friend's presence. She was glad that she had Nana when it came to children and school. Mike had been…cordial in his weird way after it was known that Erwin and Elyse were working on their marriage. Elyse had felt surprised when Mike had quietly bowed his head in apology and Elyse had been flustered at the action.

"Did you hear about Dieter and Nifa coming back?" Nana asked Elyse, and Elyse nodded.

"They contacted me. Nifa is willing to help me with the kids even though I assured her that it's fine. Dieter is marrying Bella soon, and they're moving in together at the house Erwin built." Elyse confirmed, waving at her kids as they spotted her.

Nana clapped her hands together, happily.

"Ah, my squad is coming back together. It feels like a dream." Nana said, smiling.

Elyse lit up at the idea that popped in her head.

"I should set up a reunion party for you guys! I sort of miss celebrations, and we haven't had one in a while." Elyse stated in thought.

Nana's squeal of happiness turned everyone's heads and Elyse laughed at Nana's flustered face.

* * *

Elyse relaxed as she finally found a spot on the bleachers to sit on, and she thanked the person in front of her for giving her a program. The person paused as she was handing the program though, and Elyse prepared herself for a conversation she didn't feel like having at the moment.

"Elyse Jaeger-Smith?" The person asked, his eyes wide.

Elyse sighed, inwardly, but she smiled, outwardly.

"Yes?" Elyse intoned.

"O-Oh, wow, I heard that your kids went to this school, but I didn't know— "

"Yes, yes, she's the heiress and the wife of Erwin Smith. Yes, she's that famous ballerina. Yes, she's pretty. Yes, she's not here alone. Now, please, turn around and let's enjoy the show like everyone else here." A stoic voice interrupted the man.

The man seemed taken aback, and he coughed, slightly, before turning back around.

Elyse shot her brother a look of disbelief, but before she could scold him, she noticed that he more…irritable than usual.

"Not a word." Her brother stated as he sat down next to her, and Elyse nodded, but she placed her hand atop of his and patted his hand. Levi patted her hand back before letting Elyse pulled her hand away.

The sound of people whispering excitedly made Elyse focus on the gym floor before her. She noticed that the students were gathering and she smiled as soon as she saw Eren, dressed in his sparring outfit. She cheered, loudly, even waving to get her son's attention. She noticed him look her way, and he flushed, embarrassed.

A rough hand grabbed hers mid-air, and Elyse turned to her side and she glared when she noticed it was her husband stopping her, his gaze soft.

"You're embarrassing our son, Elyse." Erwin whispered, his smile amused.

Elyse scoffed, but she let Erwin put her hand down and she smiled when she noticed that he didn't let go of her hand.

A cough sounded at her other side, and she blushed when she realized her brother was looking at them.

"Don't mind me. You can secretly hand fuck—"Levi was cut off as Elyse warned her brother by kicking him in the shin.

Erwin noticed this, and instead of being amused, he bent behind Elyse to motion for Levi. Elyse tried to hear what they were saying, but she felt Erwin nudge her instead.

"Elyse, can you switch with your brother? I need to speak with him about something." Erwin whispered softly in her ear. Elyse nodded, and she let nudged her brother, who glared in return.

"We don't need to talk about anything, Erwin." Levi stated, motioning to the main area so they could pay attention.

"I'll tell your sister if you don't come over here right now." Erwin warned.

If Levi's glare could kill, it'd murder Erwin at the spot.

"You're not my father." Levi retorted, and Elyse was starting to realize that maybe her brother wasn't in a foul mood just because.

"Levi…" Elyse trailed off, worried. Levi turned his attention to his sister, and maybe something in her gaze made him calm down, and he sighed. He got up, slightly, and he motioned for Elyse to switch with him. Elyse complied and she let go of Erwin's hand as he let Levi sit next to him.

She tried to look at them, but she noticed that Erwin and her brother were in a deep discussion besides she needed to be paying attention to Eren, who she noticed was next up in his match.

"Papa! Mama! Uncle!" Two hushed voices called over, and Elyse squinted and she noticed her two other kids coming towards them. Before they could go to the men, she made sure they sat next to her as she greeted them with kisses. She noticed that Armin was curiously looking at his uncle and father, but Elyse shook her head and pointed to the match that Eren happened to be in as he took his position.

She breathed a sigh of relief as her kids paid attention to their brother, and she squeezed them as she held a bated breath as Eren struck the first attack.

* * *

"You did so well! Congratulations, baby!" Elyse yelled, enthusiastically, hugging her messy and sweaty son who tried to run away.

"Ma! It was only second, can you stop?" Eren pleaded, looking around as he noticed people were looking at them. Elyse didn't bother to let go, and she smiled, knowing fully well that Eren was enjoying her hug.

"Still proud. You can win last, and I'd still be hugging you like this, so hush." Elyse laughed as Eren whined in reply.

When Elyse finally let go, Eren began to look around as Armin and Mikasa congratulated their brother.

"Who are you looking for?" Elyse asked, trying to find that person her son was looking for.

"Dad. I saw him with uncle Levi. Did they say anything?" Eren asked his mother, his eyes shining. Elyse smiled down at Eren, noticing the way he anxiously bit his lip. Eren always looked up to his father and uncle because they were high-ranking officials in the Army. Elyse knew that Eren was going to try and follow that route, which she wasn't exactly ecstatic about, but she would deal with it when the time came.

"Not yet. I think they're talking outside…" Elyse trailed off as soon as she saw trails of smoke and very familiar figures through the window.

With a sigh, she told her children to wait, and they obeyed as they found their friends and began to chat with them in the lobby.

Elyse exited through the door and she coughed to get the men's attention as she crossed her arms, looking crossly at them.

"Your son and nephew is looking for you." Elyse informed them as they looked at her.

Erwin had the decency to look guilty, but Levi was the one who still seemed to be out of it and still very angry.

"Alright, what's wrong?" Elyse asked her brother, coming up to him and grabbing the halfway done cigarette and threw it on the ground.

"Elyse." Levi stated in warning.

Elyse didn't back down as she raised an eyebrow at her brother, and he sighed.

"You need to tell her or she'll find out through someone else." Erwin encouraged, throwing down his unfinished cigarette, trying to avoid Elyse's glare.

"You mean, she'll find out through you, you softie." Levi grumbled, and Erwin glared at him in return.

"Spill it." Elyse ordered her brother. Levi sighed, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Erwin, you better go inside. Eren deserves praise after his performance today." Levi suggested, trying to have a moment with his sister. Erwin took it, gratefully, and he placed a quick apologetic kiss on Elyse's forehead before leaving.

Levi scoffed at that.

"I see that couples therapy is working." Levi stated, getting another cigarette out of his pocket.

Elyse merely sighed as she watched her brother light his cigarette. She waited after he took one puff, and she motioned for him to speak.

"…I'm joining the Army full-time. They called me out there, and the situation isn't looking pretty. They pretty much forced my hand." Levi stated, his eyes not meeting his sisters.

Elyse took a deep breath.

"What about the company?" Elyse asked, quietly.

"I'm giving it to you and Erwin. Erwin knows what to do, and I'm pretty sure he's way too in love with you to sabotage anything." Levi said with a shrug.

"How can you be so nonchalant about this?" Elyse asked, quietly, trying to make sense of her brother's attitude.

"I'm pissed, Elyse. I didn't want to do it, but I have no choice to. I vowed to serve my country first." Levi said.

Elyse nodded, slowly, knowing fully well what Erwin had to sacrifice when he was called back into action.

"…When are you leaving?" Elyse asked.

"Tomorrow." Levi stated.

Elyse could feel the tears coming, and Levi's arms wrapped around her, instantly.

"None of that, Ely." Levi sighed, softly.

"It's just so…sudden." Elyse said, sadly.

Levi let go of his sister, and he patted her cheek.

"Well, that's life, dear little sister. You want to hear the good news?" Levi asked, throwing his cigarette on the ground.

Elyse scoffed, "What could be good news at this point?"

Levi smiled, wryly, at that, "Well, you're going to be an aunt."

Elyse froze.

"W-what?" Elyse asked, in surprise.

Her brother nodded in confirmation.

"Got the news today as soon as I landed. Freida's pregnant."

Elyse felt her body go under some frozen water as she realized what her brother was saying.

"Wait, what the fuck?" Elyse asked, in disbelief.

Levi sighed, and before he could answer, Elyse was already in a tangent as she ranted and wailed.

"I thought you were with Petra! Freida?! _My_ Freida?! Oh my god, that explains why she's been eating all the pastries. She kept asking for my croissants, and I didn't realize that…WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GUYS HAVE SEX?!" Elyse screamed.

Her brother's hand slapped on her mouth made Elyse stop freaking out as she realized that people were starting to look at them as they were whispering and pointing.

"Let's just go to your house first. We'll talk there. Stop squirming, Elyse!"

* * *

Elyse knew her eye was twitching, and she couldn't care less.

Oh, she saved face when she smiled and laughed with her children. She gave the perfect act as Erwin knew he was going to die by her hand tonight. Her brother was the one who had the damn nerve to act nonchalant about everything while she was busy texting Freida to get to the Estate or she'll murder her too.

By any chance, if Freida was murdered, Elyse knew she would be the first suspect.

Now, here they were, the kids were all tucked in and in bed and Elyse was sitting in front of a nervous Freida and a nonchalant Levi. Erwin was the one who was worriedly glancing at Elyse from the corner of the room as he nursed a whiskey.

"So, where to start, shall we?" Elyse asked, overly sweet.

"Ely…" Freida trailed off.

"Want to explain why Petra isn't the one who's pregnant or shall we just go straight to why Freida is because I was under the impression that this wasn't happening at all." Elyse began, sipping oh-so-daintily from her teacup.

Levi scoffed, but he didn't answer as he took a huge gulp from his own scotch.

"Petra and I…we broke it off as soon as we left New York City. It wasn't there anymore, whatever we had that wanted us to get married before. Then, I started helping with the theatre when you couldn't, and Freida and I ended up forming a relationship." Levi explained, as a matter-of-factly.

Freida seemed to even take it by stride as she nudged Levi sharply in warning.

Levi sighed, but he placed a hand atop of hers and Freida seemed to relax at that.

"Freida." Elyse turned to her best friend in the whole world, the one who was there since the beginning of this rollercoaster.

"Sorry, Ely. I didn't know what to tell you. It was supposed to be a fling, and it became…this. I mean, don't you see the irony?" Freida tried to joke, motioning towards Elyse and Erwin.

Elyse could already feel a headache forming.

"I didn't mean to get pregnant just so you could follow my own example with _my brother_. Besides, Levi, you're the one who should know better about-"

"Elyse Rose Jaeger-Smith, if you think you're going to scold me, think twice." Her brother warned, placing his empty glass on the table between them.

Elyse paused and she nodded after a moment. She gathered her thoughts and she apologized.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just…You're going to the Army, and now, you're going to leave behind my pregnant best friend. I just— "

"I'm going with him." Freida announced, softly.

Erwin seemed to be even shocked by that as his glass clattered on the table of the minibar as he looked at her with wide eyes. Elyse was sure Freida was bluffing.

"You can't be serious." Elyse managed to whisper.

Freida nodded, placing a hand on her stomach, and Elyse couldn't believe she missed that tiny bulge.

"They offer housing there, and I…I think it's time for me to follow something out of my comfort zone. The baby will be fine. Hange will be there, and didn't they help you with the kids?" Freida tried to comfort Elyse.

"B-But, I can take care of you here, and-and— "

"Elyse, we're…I love her. I want to protect her and my baby." Levi informed her, cutting her off, and his eyes seemed to soften at his sister's state.

Elyse didn't know what to say. She looked at her husband, who was standing at the corner.

"Did you know?" She asked, softly.

"No, I didn't. He just told me that he's leaving and he's taking Freida with him about an hour ago." Erwin reassured his wife.

Elyse nodded, slowly, and she got up, clutching her dress.

"Well, I see that you have everything in order, I guess." Elyse said, softly.

Freida stood up, and she walked towards Elyse, grabbing onto her hands.

"Ely, I'm sorry that you had to find out this way, and trust me, everything is such a blur. I'm sorry that this was all last minute, but rest assured that I have my replacement and Isabelle is willing to help you out." Freida stated, her pleading tone didn't go amiss, but Elyse was too busy staring at the ground.

"…I just…why couldn't you guys have told me? I can't lose both of you…What if…something happens?" Elyse asked, her eyes filling up with tears as she looked up at Freida and her brother.

Her brother was already standing up as he also held his sister close to him.

"We're not entering a war zone. I'm just helping out, trust me. Freida will be safe, and I'll be back as soon as you know it to visit." Levi promised, trying to soothe his sister.

"I can't lose both of you. What about the baby?" Elyse found herself repeating repeatedly. It wasn't long before she began to cry, and Erwin had to hold her as Levi and Freida watched, trying to comfort her.

"We lost father. I can't have you taken away from me." Elyse whispered to her brother.

That was enough for Levi to grab Elyse and hold her, tightly, as she sobbed.

"Oh, Elyse. You won't lose me. I promise. I'll be back." Levi whispered in her hair.

Elyse searched for Freida's hand, and she grabbed it, noticing that foreign tears were wetting her hand as Freida placed her forehead there.

* * *

It was only a month. A month of hurried packing and hasty goodbyes.

Levi and Freida were getting ready to leave in the airport as they were saying their goodbyes to the kids, but Elyse couldn't bear to watch it. She could see the sadness in Freida's eyes as she pleaded with Elyse to forgive her and to be excited for her, but Elyse was still in too much shock to do anything. Instead, Elyse offered her happiness, but Freida knew that Elyse was still in pain.

"We'll be back. Don't worry. It's only for a short time." Levi promised. Elyse just nodded, numbly.

The kids were okay, and they even expressed excitement when they were told that they were going to have a cousin.

Erwin was the one who took care of everything for them. He got their bags. He made sure that Freida would be comfortable. He got them his private jet, even though Levi was adamant about not using it. Erwin was the one who nodded as Levi motioned towards Elyse, worriedly.

"I know it's too much for her, but please get her to understand." Levi sighed, trying to not remain worried.

"You're the only one left, Levi. You didn't even let her come to peace with all of this. Especially you, Freida." Erwin stated, cautiously.

Freida nodded in understanding, and Levi sighed but he seemed resigned as he walked towards his sister.

"We'll be going now. I'll write to you." Levi promised. Elyse didn't bother to look up as she nodded once more.

Freida bent down and she placed her hands gently atop of Elyse's.

"Hey, I fucking love you, okay? I'll write to you, too, and I'll complain about how bored I am and how I shouldn't have even gone to the first place." Freida tried to tease, but Elyse's half-hearted laugh discouraged her.

"Just…be safe, Frei." Elyse stated, softly. Freida seemed to relax at that, and she smiled, "I will."

"Take care of her. Pregnancy is a big thing." Elyse told her brother, standing up. Her brother nodded, and Elyse sighed as she walked towards him and hugged him.

"You guys are crazy, you know that?" Elyse pointed out, her laugh dry.

"Well, you could say she rubbed off on me." Levi responded, amused. Elyse laughed and let go.

"I still haven't thought about you guys as a…couple." Elyse murmured, weirdly.

Levi and Freida exchanged looks, and Elyse grimaced, shaking her head.

"Just get out of here." Elyse groused.

With one last goodbye, Elyse watched from the windows as the plane took-off. The kids were waving, and Erwin came from behind her as he wrapped his arms around her, reassuringly.

"They'll be okay." Erwin whispered in her ear. Elyse relaxed in his hold before slightly turning to him.

"You knew, didn't you?" Elyse asked, curiously.

Erwin shrugged, but he had a small smile on his face.

"I had an inkling when Freida began to visit more often than you. I'd feel a bit jealous since she'd be bringing food for Levi, and my wife was-"

"Being amazing since she can balance working in the theatre and being a dedicated mother and wife, right?"

Erwin chuckled at that, and he placed a soft kiss on the tip of her ear.

"Of course. I was jealous that you were out there being amazing, and I was stuck in a boring office all day."

Elyse smiled and turned around as the kids were already racing to the car.

"Good answer." She stated with a wink before running off to join her children.

* * *

Elyse didn't like this feeling. They went to therapy again, but it still felt like they weren't making progress even though everything was starting to come out. Erwin would always figure out her problems, and Elyse was grateful for that.

Yet, there was something that Elyse couldn't help but feel uneasy about.

She smiled though, and she hoped that Dr. Rico and Erwin would buy it.

* * *

Elyse threw the letter that was addressed to her from her brother in addition to the other unread letters that Freida wrote.

She didn't want to read letters from people who left her.

* * *

"Papa, can I go straight to the office after school?" Armin asked his father over dinner.

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that as she looked at her son, who was looking at both his parents.

"What happened to your logistics class?" Elyse asked, curiously.

Armin shrugged, "It's getting boring now. We went over the same logistic problem for a week now, and I'm not allowed to correct the teacher again. I mean, you told me— "

Elyse cut her son off with a groan, "Don't remind me. If I have Miss Ives tell me that my son needs to stop "correcting" her, I'm going to have to correct that condescending smirk of hers."

Eren snorted at that and Mikasa giggled. Erwin coughed and casted a warning glance in Elyse's direction.

Elyse caught herself and smiled sheepishly.

"What I meant was that Miss Ives is a lovely woman who doesn't have your mindset, Armin. You need to be more patient with your class." Elyse chided, softly.

Armin made a slight face as he played with his food.

Elyse was about to say something until Erwin coughed slightly to get Armin's attention.

"There's a program with the military that you might be interested in. Eren, you remember Dr. Hanji?" Erwin asked his other son, and Eren began to ecstatically talk about the program that had field studies and research which Armin seemed to be very interested in.

Elyse watched that go down, and she suddenly felt a slight prick of fear and she excused herself, hastily.

Judging by the sound of another chair moving, Elyse knew that she would be joined in the kitchen by her husband.

"Elyse, listen."

Elyse turned around, quickly, and waved her hand exasperated at him, "What was that about?"

Erwin seemed calm, and his gaze was studying her, something that always unnerved her and she wasn't having it.

"Don't you dare, Erwin. I know you're trying to assess the situation right now, but I'm not having it." Elyse hissed, angrily.

"Elyse, please. Did you see Armin? He was obviously trying to hint that he didn't want to stay in that class anymore, and I was going to bring it up to you today anyways, so it was like killing two birds with one stone." Erwin explained, softly.

"More like it's you always leading the damn way. You always having to be in control." Elyse accused.

Erwin seemed to be taken aback by that before his face grew grim.

"Are you serious, Elyse? I'm here telling you that our son deserves to know that there are better opportunities if he wants, but you're here thinking that it's a _game_ between you and me? About what, Elyse? About control? Are you fucking with me?" Erwin asked, his turn to be exasperated.

Elyse couldn't help but feel a bit defensive at that, and she crossed her arms in defiance.

"It's not a game, Erwin. You're the one who's making— "

"Elyse, enough. I swear to God, if you make it about how it's my love for control that I decided that my son wasn't happy and I manipulated him to join the Army-For fuck's sake, Elyse, he didn't even say yes to it. I just offered it to him. If he doesn't want it, then so be it. So, don't you dare say that I'm trying to control or manipulate or whatever the hell you want to accuse me of…Elyse, you need to stop doing this."

Elyse felt her blood run cold at his last statement.

"What do you mean?" Elyse asked, softly.

Erwin gave her a look before sighing.

"You're closing me off again, Elyse. Ever since your brother and Freida did something unexpected, you decided to lie in therapy and close me off. You're accusing me of things that we should be past right now. You're bringing it up as a defense mechanism, and I have been trying to be understanding about it all. Yet…it kills me that you can be warm and loving one day and the next I'm over here trying to defend the fact that I tried to help my son, who is clearly upset yet he doesn't want to upset his parents. Elyse…it's not even about the kids anymore to you. It's just…you."

"You think— "

"I know, Elyse. I know about the unopened letters. I know about the fake smiles. Come off it already, Elyse. Here I thought…I thought we were making progress."

Silence filled the kitchen and Elyse knew that Erwin was waiting for her to say something, and of course, she couldn't respond.

Erwin sighed and he rubbed his weary face, "I'm going to clean up the table."

Elyse didn't respond as she watched Erwin walk away.

* * *

"You're right, I'm sorry."

Elyse watched as Erwin turned to face her. He had been overlooking the water from the porch, and Elyse calmed herself down after she watched him clean the table and tell the kids to do their homework.

He was right.

It had been building up inside of her, and Elyse wanted to blame someone. Anyone.

Erwin had always been the one she would place her blame on ever since she admitted she was afraid of him. The therapy had been the steps she needed to take, but this step…

It was one she had to take for herself.

"I…I've been afraid, not because of you. I've been afraid since my brother and Freida left. I thought if those two-important people would leave, then what's stopping Eren or Armin or Mikasa or…you." Elyse whispered, her arms tightening around her.

"Oh, Elyse." Erwin responded, his arms opening. Elyse immediately walked into them, willing to be embraced by him.

The warmth made Elyse relax as she wrapped her arms around him.

"When you offered Armin something about the Army again, I just thought of how that special branch has been taking away my family and friends from me recently. Even back then. It just triggered something inside of me…I'm sorry, Erwin." Elyse apologized as Erwin pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"You should've told me, Elyse. Not hide it again. I love you. You're my wife and the mother of my children. You think I want you feeling this way?" Erwin chided, softly.

Elyse couldn't help but smile at that as she looked up at him.

"I...I'm still not used to you sometimes. Well, I'm not used to us like this." Elyse admitted, blushing.

Erwin chuckled at that, and he brushed his thumb against her cheek.

"Get used to it, love. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

The welcome back party was filled with laughter and warmth as Dieter and Nifa were welcomed back to the Estate.

"A toast to my two favorite nannies. Welcome back to hyperactivity and nonstop inquisitive actions!" Elyse declared, a bit drunkenly.

The toast was rewarded with roars of laughter as glasses clinked. Elyse leaned into Erwin's hold on her as he helped her down from whatever table she decided to stand on.

"Slow it down with the wine, darling. I know that the kids are with my father for the weekend, but you're going to end up waking up with a hangover instead of a blissful vacation." Erwin whispered in her ear.

Elyse giggled at that, but she nodded, willing to let go of her wine glass.

She smiled as she remembered that she had to move the recently opened letters from Freida and her brother on the coffee table away so they wouldn't get stained from her wine.

She laughed when she was twirled around by Mike. As she enjoyed the company of friends, Elyse couldn't help but notice the wide smile on Erwin's face as he saluted her with his glass of whiskey.

* * *

Elyse smiled, softly, as she waved at the last guests leaving.

She closed the door of the living room and she turned around and watched as Erwin puffed on his last cigar as he sat by the fire.

"Someone's enjoying the kids being away." Elyse teased as she sat on his lap.

"I have missed you." Erwin sighed.

"Me?" Elyse asked, teasingly.

Erwin shook his head and blew smoke in Elyse's face, "I was talking to the lovely cigar in my hand. Don't flatter yourself."

Elyse couldn't help but laugh as she placed both her hands on her husband's face.

"Okay, asshole!"

Their laughter died down, and the couple stared at each other in the dimly lit living room.

The clock struck midnight, and Erwin smiled at the woman before him.

"Hey, guess what?" Erwin asked, his face getting closer to Elyse's.

"What?" Elyse humored him, smiling.

"Happy eighth wedding anniversary." Erwin wished, but before Elyse could say anything, his lips were on hers.

Elyse lost herself in the kiss, and she sighed as she molded herself against him on the chair.

The kiss was getting more intense, and Elyse found herself involuntarily grinding against her husband's lap. Erwin moaned as she began her ministrations, and he pushed her away, gently.

"Elyse, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have— "

"Shhhh, come back." Elyse cut him off as she tried to place her lips back on his.

Erwin stopped her, fully looking into her eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Elyse?" Erwin asked her, softly.

Elyse smiled, and she made sure she grinded on his lap extra slowly, which Erwin responded by groaning as his hands tightened on the arm rests of the chair.

"I'm sure. How long has it been? A year? Almost two?" Elyse asked, her tone suggestive as she began her ministrations again.

"Come here." Erwin growled, and he grabbed the back of her head and began to kiss her, hard.

Elyse began to pant as Erwin's lips trailed down the column of her neck as she began to hastily unbutton his shirt. Her hands felt the muscular torso of her husband and she mewled in happiness.

Erwin's hands were trailing up and down her legs and he bit a sensitive part of her neck, lightly, as he cupped her buttocks, tightly.

Elyse sighed in pleasure as she brought her hands to the back of his head and caressed as Erwin's lips began to relentlessly explore.

In a moment, Erwin grew impatient and he stood up, letting Elyse's legs wrap around him as he began to walk towards the stairs. He was still kissing her everywhere, and Elyse was more than willing to help him out when it came to her clothes. By the time they reached his room, Elyse was only in her lingerie and Erwin's gaze was darkening at the sight as he dropped her on the bed.

Elyse moaned as Erwin dropped to his knees and began to kiss her legs and her thighs. His hands were on her torso and traveling up to her breasts as he hastily took her bra off. She gasped loudly as she felt his calloused fingers play with her breasts and she began to pant as his lips traveled up to suckle and lick. His fingers found the most intimate part of her and rubbed her wetness all over.

After a moment, Elyse saw stars as she came for the first time in a long time.

"Erwin, oh my—Ah!" Elyse screamed as she felt his lips caress her folds against her silk underwear.

Elyse could feel Erwin's smirk against the piece of cloth, and she felt he body involuntarily lifting up slightly as Erwin began to slowly take off her underwear.

She looked down to see what he was up to, but she found herself grinding against his mouth as Erwin began to relentlessly yet gently eat her out.

"Fuck, I've missed this." Erwin mused against her, and Elyse moaned even louder.

Not wanting to be undone, and she had been craving him for so long. Elyse managed to sit up, and she forced him to stop as she got down on all fours on the bed.

"Stand up." Elyse stated, her voice raspy from all the screaming.

Erwin smiled and obeyed, and he groaned as Elyse took him fully in her mouth after she forced his underwear down. Elyse remembered his size as she began to gag a bit from being a little bit too excited. That seemed to spur Erwin more as he began to rock back and forth. Elyse loved the feel of his hands playing with her breasts then traveling down to her butt as he squeezed tightly.

He stopped hastily after a moment before he pulled out and forced Elyse to lie down.

"I'm going to do this gently, okay?" Erwin told her, his eyes half-lidded and his chest heaving. Elyse nodded as she bit her lip, a bit nervous.

It had been a while, and she had hoped that she was prepared enough.

Erwin groaned at the sight of her. His thumb brushed against her lips, and he began to enter her, slowly. Elyse felt her walls tightening, and Erwin groaned, loudly. Elyse felt a bit of pain, and Erwin stopped as he saw her face.

"No, go, it's fine." Elyse assured him, and Erwin nodded after a moment. He filled her, and Elyse gasped at the sensation. Erwin began slow, but Elyse started to get used to him and she whined as she began to rock against him.

"Elyse, don't do that." Erwin warned through gritted teeth. Elyse didn't listen, and before she knew it, Erwin was atop of her and moving in and out, hard and fast.

"Fuck, Elyse. I've missed you." Erwin hissed as he sloppily placed kisses all over her neck and lips.

"I've missed you, too." Elyse moaned as she held onto him, tightly.

"Elyse, I'm going to have to pull out, okay?" Erwin told her, and Elyse nodded, biting her lip as she felt herself getting close.

"Erwin, Erwin, Erwin— "

Erwin's lip found hers and Elyse desperately clung onto him as he pulled out and found his release as Elyse found her release, also, as Erwin's fingers rubbed against her.

The couple both panted as they found each other on the bed.

"Damn." Erwin stated in awe.

"Damn." Elyse agreed as she laughed, softly.

"Come here." Erwin stated as he held her onto his chest. He tilted her head up to look at him as he kissed her softly.

"I love you." Erwin whispered against her lips.

"I love you, too." Elyse sighed as she fully kissed him once more.

And for the rest of the night, they made sure that actions prove better than words.

* * *

A:N/ FINALLY.

School is busy. Life is busy. I'm so sorry. But, thank you for the support and love! Hope you enjoyed!


	35. Chapter 35

A:N/It's been so long, I know. I've been dealing with a lot of work and school, so thank you for bearing with me. Wow! So, guess what? This is the last chapter of the main story of Erwin and Elyse, "The Art of the Unexpected." Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Ironic that it's ending the day that season two is starting! Don't worry, I have drabbles that are stories that have to do with this main one. It's not a goodbye, just a beginning !

* * *

Elyse woke up the next morning to the sounds of clanging noise downstairs. She moaned, softly, and she patted the side of the bed to wake her husband up. She found herself patting an empty spot. Surprised, Elyse brought her head up slightly and pulled the sheet up to cover her body. When she looked over, she noticed that Erwin wasn't anywhere in sight.

Sighing and stretching, Elyse flinched slightly at the uncomfortable feeling of pain as she got up.

"He didn't have to be so rough." Elyse muttered to herself, but she even found herself smiling at the memory of last night.

It had been so long, yet so worth it.

She blushed at the turn her thoughts were taking, and she immediately shook her head and tried to find a robe for her to wear in her husband's room. She found a soft cashmere one she had left one night when they had only shared a room to keep up appearances for their fathers, and she put it on, reveling in the feeling of the gossamer fabric against her skin.

After tying the robe, she opened the door and walked out, slowly, and approached the stairs, carefully. She noticed that Dieter and Nifa were busy preparing something in the living room and Elyse gasped at how everything had completely…well, disappeared.

"What's going on?" Elyse asked, surprised.

Dieter and Nifa looked up, and they smiled at her, sheepishly. Elyse cocked her head to side, questioningly, and that's when she caught a glimpse of herself on one of the reflective surfaces in the living room.

Her hair was a mess. Her lips were slightly bruised. Her neck was showing some love bites…

Elyse immediately tried to bring the robe closer to cover her exposed skin.

Gratefully, Nifa decided to change the subject.

"Good morning, Miss Elyse. We're just preparing for the party the Command—I mean, Mr. Smith, is hosting for tonight."

Elyse raised an eyebrow at that.

"Party?"

Dieter and Nifa seemed taken aback and they even exchanged looks.

"It's for your wedding anniversary." Dieter offered, lamely, trying to see if that would jog Elyse's memory.

Elyse immediately started to panic.

"Oh. My. I promised Vati that we'd host an anniversary party, didn't I?" Elyse asked, remembering how her father-in-law had announced that in exchange for taking the kids for the weekend that there would be a celebration.

"How could I forget?" Elyse groaned, and she immediately sensed a teasing glint in Dieter's eye and she brought up her hand in warning, stopping him from making any comment, "Don't you dare."

Dieter simply shrugged and Nifa smiled.

"Okay, okay, so what needs to be done? Oh shoot, I have to go the theatre today. Then, I have to pick up the kids. Oh wait, maybe if I tell Vati— "

"Isabelle is taking care of the theatre. Your father-in-law is taking care of the kids until tonight. Mr. Smith told us that everything is taken care of. Here. He told me to give you this."

Elyse raised an eyebrow as she took the envelope from Dieter's hand. She opened it, and she couldn't help but smile as she read her husband's familiar writing.

Elyse looked up with a wide smile on her face as she sighed, happily.

"Well, I guess I'm going to have to sit out on this one." Elyse sighed, shaking her head as she gave back Dieter the letter.

Dieter and Nifa smiled back, and for once, the company had true happiness accompany the room.

* * *

Elyse wasn't used to not preparing…anything that had to with her family. Nifa had shooed her from the room, and she had decided to just take the day off to roam around.

She wasn't used to having free time, and Dieter was the best bodyguard when it came to directing her.

"Uh, Miss Elyse, I think you should get some coffee here. My fiancé, I mean, Isa— "

Elyse rolled her eyes at Dieter's flushed expression when it came to talking about his soon-to-be bride, but she couldn't help but smile wider at her precious bodyguard.

"Okay, Dieter. Let's get coffee here."

Elyse found herself enjoying her day off. Erwin had suggested, well, demanded, for her to relax and not to lift a finger for tonight's festivities. He even mentioned that he would be the one to pick up the kids and that he would be in charge of making sure that they did their homework before the party. _That_ was something Elyse wished she could see.

The kids did respect their father, but it was easy for Erwin to be a little lenient when it came to spoiling them. Elyse had to reprimand him a couple of times when she would catch him letting Mikasa eat more than one cookie before dinner.

Elyse paused as she stopped by a store as she noticed lacy furnishings at the store window.

 _Eight years…before it used to mean bronze, yet nowadays, I've been used to seeing lace when it comes to articles of weddings. I wonder if Nifa and Erwin…_

Elyse sighed and she shook her head. She should be trusting her husband and her company. She trusted them with everything else, so she shouldn't be doubting them now.

She let out a frustrated sigh and she even had to fight the urge of stamping her foot, but Dieter's amused face made her groan and she tried to distract herself once more.

As if someone heard her, her phone began to ring and Elyse was more than grateful to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"You know, when I told you to relax, I didn't mean for you to start shopping for the party."

Elyse jolted back a bit at the sound of her husband's voice. She checked her phone and noticed that he was calling from an unknown number.

"Want to tell me why you're calling in such a creepy way?" Elyse asked, sighing but she couldn't help but smile.

She flushed a bit. Hearing him talk after their night together when they confirmed every secret and every problem with understanding and love…

Elyse cleared her throat, trying to focus in the present.

"I would, but would you believe that Eren and Mikasa were fighting over the last cookie and pushed my phone to the ground, leaving me to step on it which completely shattered my phone? So, I had to bring them with me to the store and buy a new one. Turns out I can't even have the same number. Apparently, they want to make sure I'm not lying to them because guess who forgot to bring identification with them. Yes, me. I had to call Nifa to pick me up because, of course, I had the kids and me driving without a license it terrible to people. NIfa picked me up and I had to call the towing company to pick up the car. Can you believe it?" Erwin stated, his tone exasperated.

Elyse paused at that, and then she began to laugh.

After a moment, she took a deep breath and reminisced about a time where she wouldn't have believed him and scoffed at him.

She smiled, warmly.

"I do believe that."

* * *

Elyse was finally grateful when Dieter told her that it was time to go back to the Estate and get ready for the anniversary party.

She got out of the car and she gasped as she noticed the lights that adorned the Estate, casting a magical spectacle for anyone who was just staring at the exterior of the house.

Elyse was about to walk up to the Estate until someone blindfolded her.

"Hey! What the hell!"

Elyse had tried to fight hard, but she was met with air as she tried to get out of the person's grasp. When she finally saw light, she punched whoever was in front of her.

"What the fuck! Shit, Elyse!"

The sound of Erwin's voice was enough to shock her.

"Erwin?!"

"Yes, it's me. Damn." Erwin groused as he cradled his cheek.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Elyse asked, exasperated as she brought a hand up to his face to inspect the damage that she did.

There was a slight bruise, but it didn't seem that it was going to swell as badly as she thought it would.

Erwin rolled his eyes as he let out another hiss in pain.

"Oh, I don't know. I just wanted to be romantic and surprise my wife for our eight-year anniversary." Erwin groused.

Elyse was about to open her mouth to argue with her husband until she realized what was in front of her.

She was in the Estate, but the living room was drastically changed into a ballroom. They had removed the furniture earlier, but Elyse had thought it was just going to be replaced with new furniture for the party. The lights were twinkling around her. Bronze ornaments decorated the pillars and the staircase. She was in awe as she looked up and noticed that lace adorned the ceilings, creating an effect of romance.

"…You did all this?" Elyse asked in awe as she stood up and looked around.

"More like we did." Voices came from behind her and Elyse turned around and she gasped as she saw Freida, Isabelle, Nifa, Nana, and the ballet company. She ran towards them and hugged them, expressing her heartfelt gratitude.

"Frei! I didn't know you would be here!" Elyse finally stated as she wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"And miss this? Oh hell no. Besides, I picked out the sexiest dress for you and I was not going to miss out on envying that body of yours. Come here! We have to get you ready." Freida commanded, dragging Elyse up the stairs.

Elyse looked down at Erwin, who gratefully accepted a handkerchief from Mike as he dabbed the corner of his mouth. He looked up at her and he smiled and nodded. Elyse gave an apologetic expression and blew a kiss towards him.

That was last thing she could do before everyone swept her up the stairs and got her ready for the night that awaited her.

* * *

Elyse gasped at her reflection.

Freida was right. The dress was a gorgeous white-laced dress that hugged her waist nicely before cascading down. There was a generous dip that teased her cleavage, and there was a slit that went up to her thigh. Elyse noticed that they had placed clematis flowers on her ears, giving a vision of a crown. She had bronze eye-makeup and that's when realized what Freida was going for.

"A goddess, huh?" Elyse teased her friend.

Freida nodded, ecstatically, while the others sighed and cooed at Elyse.

"One fit for the Adonis-looking daddy downstairs." Freida stated, earning appreciative cheers from the women around her.

Elyse laughed and threw a pin at Freida, blushing. A knock sounded, and Freida asked who was there.

"Can I see my mama?" Mikasa's voice called from the other side. Elyse felt her heart lighten at the sound of her daughter's voice. She had missed her, and she had been worried when she didn't immediately see her kids. Being away from them always got Elyse anxious. She loved them too much.

Mikasa gasped when she saw her, and Elyse smiled as soon as she saw how beautiful her daughter looked. Erwin had groused at how Mikasa was starting to get few admirers from her class, and Elyse knew that Erwin had a right to be a tad bit miffed.

"Let's go downstairs, baby." Elyse whispered in her daughter's hair as Mikasa held onto her. Elyse smiled in Mikasa's hair as she felt her daughter nod in agreement.

* * *

Elyse watched as Erwin's jaw slightly dropped and how his blue eyes warmed at the sight of her. Elyse even glanced appreciatively at her husband as he donned a white suit. He kissed Mikasa's head when she ran towards him, and Elyse grinned as she saw Eren and Armin run up to her.

"Wow, don't my boys look handsome!" Elyse exclaimed, appreciating their bowties. Eren puffed up a bit in pride and Armin smiled wider.

The sound of glass clinking got everyone's attention. Elyse looked up and she warmed at the sight of her father-in-law at the center of the ballroom.

He winked at her before he began his speech.

"I would like to thank everyone for being here tonight to celebrate my son and daughter-in-law's wedding anniversary. For those of you who have known them, they have always been with these three adorable grandkids of mine. They are loving parents, first and foremost, and I've never been prouder of what they've accomplished as parents. Yet, this night is to celebrate their eight years together. They have been through mostly downs, I confess, and you all have noticed. But, they have managed to create a marriage that most of us had deemed impossible in this world. So, I offer a toast to them. May they love more and more each year with anything unexpected that they might encounter."

Everyone chorused back a cheers and Elyse found herself lost in her husband's embrace as everyone cheered on.

* * *

Elyse enjoyed the fresh air of the night as she took a break outside from the dancing and the festivities.

She felt strong arms wrap around her and a soft kiss on her neck and she relaxed in the loving hold.

"Congratulations for actually managing to do something wonderful and surprising." Elyse teased, looking up at her husband.

Erwin feigned a hurt look, but the smile on his face gave him away as he pressed another kiss on her forehead.

He let out a hiss as Elyse pressed a finger on the bruise she gave him.

"Whoops." Elyse whispered, apologetically.

Erwin shrugged, kissing the hand that now caressed his face.

"I call it a love mark." Erwin teased back, making a face.

Elyse laughed at that and she fully turned around so she could wrap her arms around her husband's neck.

"Eight years, huh." Elyse mused. Erwin placed his forehead against hers and sighed.

"Your brother couldn't even believe it when I was on the phone with him. He cursed us out and said that we made it feel like more than that with our—and I quote— "fucking drama."

"Well, we do love adding flair into our daily lives." Elyse pointed out, smiling.

"He even told me that he wasn't going to be here tonight because he swore that we were going to find something wrong and take it to a whole other level." Erwin laughed.

Elyse snorted and pointed at a familiar couple dancing inside, "That's why he's here, looking distressed."

Erwin chuckled and he sighed after a moment.

"God, I can't believe we've made it this far."

"And to think, it all started with impregnating me when I was sixteen."

"The horror."

Elyse laughed and she stared at Erwin, studying his every feature with her fingers. It had been so terrible and horrifying back then, and yet…she couldn't imagine a future without him and the beautiful three children they have.

"I love you, Erwin Smith." Elyse sighed softly.

"And I love you, Elyse Rose Ackerman-Jaeger Smith."

"…That's a long name." Elyse giggled.

"Another annoying thing that makes you perfect." Erwin teased, bringing his lips dangerously close to hers.

Elyse didn't try to fight back as he kissed her, not letting her argue back.

There was no point. Every fight, every pain, and every problem seemed non-existent. The past behind them and the future ahead, with every twist and turn that they wouldn't expect. They had been clumsy, unexperienced, and ignorant-yet, it had been worth it. Each step of the way, it had brought them to this point.

The art of the unexpected never looked so perfect.

* * *

A:N/ Thank you guys so much. Really, truly. I finished a story! I hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. There will be drabbles concerning the characters from the story and family life. Until then, much love!


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